(task) Florida Gov. Rick Scott to Coastal Residents: 'Leave Now' | The Weather Channel

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Hurricane, Evacuation, Flooding, Preparedness

> https://weather.com/news/news/hurricane-matthew-florida <https://weather.com/news/news/hurricane-matthew-florida>
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> Florida Gov. Rick Scott to Coastal Residents: 'Leave Now'
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> FL Gov.: Heed Evacuation Plans
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> As Hurricane Matthew eyes Florida, Gov. Rick Scott urges residents not to wait to prepare, saying it’s never too early to evacuate.
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> Story Highlights
> Evacuations underway in Florida
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> Florida Gov. Rick Scott Activates National Guard as State Prepares for Hurricane Matthew
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> State of emergency has been declared for all of Florida.
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> President Barack Obama has canceled a Wednesday rally for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in South Florida.
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> As Hurricane Matthew plows through the Caribbean and eyes the U.S., Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency, warning residents to prepare for the worst as it is likely the storm, which could potentially make landfall Thursday night, will bring category 4 hurricane conditions to a sizable swath of the state's Atlantic coast.
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> The powerful storm has caused 11 known deaths thus far. The storm is currently moving north at a rate of 12 mph, with sustained winds of 120 mph. The currenly projected hurricane path puts the storm on or along a large swath of the Florida coast, spanning from Miami-Dade County in the south to Flagler county in the north, beginning Thursday.
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> As of Wednesday morning, there is a mandatory evacuation order in effect for Brevard County and a voluntary evacuation is currently underway in St. Lucie County. Mandatory evacuations on Barrier Island and Marritt Island begin at 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. Governor Scott advised in a press conference Wednesday morning that all coastal residents that could potentially be in harm's way should consider evacuating. "If you're able to go early, leave now," he said.
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> The storm is expected to make landfall in the continental United States on Thursday night, with the outer bands of the storm reaching the Florida coast earlier Thursday. "Everyone in our state must prepare now for a direct hit," Gov. Scott said during his Wednesday morning press conference. "Protecting life is the number one priority right now. If Matthew directly impacts Florida, there will be massive destruction that we haven’t seen in years. This is a deadly storm approaching our state."
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> The governor has been keeping his Twitter account up to date, and is encouraging Floridians to educate themselves on storm best practices and preparedness:
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> Gov. Scott Issues Updates on Hurricane Matthew Preparedness Efforts as Storm Approaches Florida: http://bit.ly/2dEPi0F  <https://t.co/hksBokmQby>— Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) 12:05 PM - 5 Oct 2016 <https://twitter.com/FLGovScott/status/783699730895368192>
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> Floridians are currently preparing for the storm, including buying timber to board up their homes and preparing their hurricane emergency kit, including nonperishable food and water. Reports have been circulating about local stores including Lowes and Publix being completely sold out of staples like timber and bottled water. Lines at gas stations around the state have been snaking for blocks since early this morning.
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> Local school districts around the state have already started canceling school this week. Affected counties include Maimi-Dade, Osceolo district schools, Volusia County, Flagler County, Polk County, Seminole County, and Palm Beach County, which canceled school Thursday and Friday, and Duval County, which canceled school Wednesday until further notice. Local news channels are keeping full and updated lists. <http://cbs12.com/news/local/list-of-closings-due-to-hurricane-matthew>
> Moreover, the University of Central Florida Cocoa and Palm Bay campuses will be closed starting Wednesday until further notice. Students should monitor their emails and the school's Twitter page for updates.
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> The Florida Coast Guard will close all inlet and intracoastal bridges in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties beginning Wednesday night beginning at 8 p.m. until further notice, according to the Boca Raton Police Department. Localities around eastern Florida are prepping for the storm, and are preparing to close down all official offices as well.
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> Evacuation shelters will begin opening on Wednesday afternoon. The full list of shelters as they open will be available here <http://floridadisaster.org/shelters/summary.htm>.
> Gov. Rick Scott also announced the activation of 200 Florida National Guardsmen during a Tuesday press conference. He activated 300 more on Wednesday, and another 6,000 members of the FNG were placed on standby in the event of a large-scale evacuation or response effort after the storm.
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> "We cannot rule out a direct hit on Florida," Scott said. "Again, we cannot rule out a direct hit."
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> If you’re not in an area advised to evacuate, plan for adequate supplies in case you lose power & water for several days. #Matthew <https://twitter.com/hashtag/Matthew?src=hash>— Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) 6:30 AM - 5 Oct 2016 <https://twitter.com/FLGovScott/status/783615218383486976>
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> On Tuesday, thousands of South Florida rushed to purchase supplies to protect their homes against the possible onslaught of powerful Hurricane Matthew. Long lines were also reported at supermarkets. By midafternoon Tuesday, the Publix in downtown Fort Lauderdale was stripped of bottle water and was running out of batteries and other supplies <http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2016/10/04/hurricane-matthew-shifts-closer-florida-late-monday-forecast/91515650/>, according to USA Today.
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> Hurricane Matthew has also kept President Barack Obama off the campaign trail. Obama cancelled a visit to Miami Gardens to campaign for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton that was scheduled for Wednesday. The White House said the president was scrapping his planned trip to Florida as the state prepares for the impacts of Matthew.
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> (MORE: The Latest Caribbean Impacts from Matthew </news/news/hurricane-matthew-haiti-latest-news>)
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> Accoring to the Miami Herald, local governments has also checked storm drains, drained canals <http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article105992697.html> into the Atlantic and Florida Bayand took stock of their shoreline amid expectations of beach erosion, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inspected the Hoover Dike at Lake Okeechobee, where Matthew’s 140 mile-per-hour sustained winds can create complications.
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> Schools in Miami-Dade County will remain open Wednesday, but may be closed Thursday if conditions are expected to be dangerous. Broward County Schools will be closed Thursday and Friday <http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/State-Local-Officials-Urge-Residents-to-Prepare-for-Matthew-395806471.html>, according to NBC Miami. No evacuations have been ordered for the city of Miami, but Mayor Carlos Gimenez urged residents to prepare for a hurricane.
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> "The message is simple," he told reporters, according to ABC News. "You should be prepared."
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> The U.S. Coast Guard issued an advisory to boaters in southeastern Florida Monday, saying they should begin to prepare for Hurricane Matthew. While ports and facilities remain open to commercial traffic, all oceangoing vessels and barges greater than 500 gross tons "should make plans for departing the port," the Coast Guard said in its press release. Pleasure-boat owners are being advised to seek safe harbor.
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> For more updates from emergency management offices, visit:
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> Palm beach county emergency management  <http://discover.pbcgov.org/publicsafety/dem/Pages/default.aspx>
> Martin county emergency management <http://www.sheriff.martin.fl.us/emergency-management.html>
> St. Lucie county emergency management <http://www.cityofpsl.com/emergency-management/hurricanes.html>
> Indian River county emergency management <http://www.irces.com/EM/Index.htm>
> Brevard county emergency management  <http://www.brevardcounty.us/emergencymanagement/preparedness>
> Volusia county emergency management  <http://www.volusia.org/services/public-protection/emergency-management/>
> Flagler county emergency management  <http://www.flagleremergency.com/>
> St. John's county emergency management  <http://www.sjcemergencymanagement.org/>
> Duval County (Jacksonville) emergency management  <http://www.coj.net/departments/fire-and-rescue/emergency-preparedness.aspx>
> Nassau county emergency management  <http://www.nassaucountyfl.com/eoc>
> Florida emergency management <http://www.floridadisaster.org/index.asp>
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> MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Hurricane Matthew
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> People recover their belongings as water cascades from upper floors, left over from heavy rains brought by Hurricane Matthew, in Baracoa, Cuba, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016. The hurricane rolled across the sparsely populated tip of Cuba overnight, destroying dozens of homes in Cuba's easternmost city, Baracoa, and leaving hundreds of others damaged. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
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