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Hillsborough issues voluntary evacuations
Tampa residents can pick up the sandbags at three locations.
By Times Staff
Published June 12, 2006
Hillsborough County emergency managers issued voluntary evacuations for people living in low-lying areas whose homes are prone to flooding, after declaring a local state of emergency at 4 p.m. Monday.
Public school summer programs will be closed today, but city of Tampa and Hillsborough government operations will remain open. The Red Cross opened four churches that serve as emergency shelters at 7 p.m. in locations in Tampa and Ruskin. Together they have a capacity of 515 people. The addresses for those shelters are: -
The First Apostolic Church, 1830 30th St., Ruskin, capacity 140. -
The Bible Based Fellowship Church, 8718 N 46th St., Tampa, capacity 200. -
St. John Presbyterian Church, 4120 N MacDill Ave., Tampa, capacity 75. Town 'n Country Baptist Church, 7601 Jackson Springs Road, Tampa, capacity 100.
Officials predicted that the biggest threat to Hillsborough, provided Alberto stays on its forecast track, is from storm surge corresponding with the 3:30 p.m. high tide, already expected to be higher than normal due to the full moon.
Together with the tide, they estimated that storm surge could reach 6 to 7 feet, about the point where it starts to cause flooding in vulnerable areas such as Bayshore Boulevard and Apollo Beach. Heavy rains could cause flooding other areas not directly threatened by surge.
"Once again, the big threat is the surge," said Hillsborough County Director of Emergency Management Larry Gispert. "That's right at the threshhold where people start having water in their homes." The City of Tampa will make sandbags available to city residents at three locations to prepare for Tropical Strom Alberto. Residents may pick up sandbags at the following locations: Himes Sports Complex, 4500 South Himes Avenue Jackson Heights Playground, 3310 E. Lake Avenue Solid waste facility at 4010 W. Spruce Street.
Tampa residents interested in receiving sandbags must show identification verifying residence within the city limits. Valid driver’s license, utility bill or electric bill will serve as appropriate identification. Sandbags will be available today from noon until 7 p.m. and on Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. For additional information on sandbags, please call the Stormwater Department at (813) 622-1901.
[Last modified June 12, 2006, 20:19:45]
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