County Opening Hurricane Shelters at Noon

St. Mary’s County Government will open two shelters for people needing to escape the fury of Hurricane Sandy at noon on Sunday.

The county has not ordered an official evacuation of low-lying areas, but Great Mills High School and Leonardtown High School will be ready at noon on Sunday to receive residents. Citizens planning on relocating to the shelter should bring any toiletries and medications in quantities sufficient for several days. Pets will be housed at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds.

According to the county’s latest emergency briefing, high winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected Sunday, increasing to 35-45 mph with gusts of around 60 mph Sunday night into Monday.

The Department of Emergency Services & Technology is warning citizens of the forecasted flooding associated with Hurricane Sandy. Citizens located in coastal or low lying areas prone to flooding are strongly encouraged to make plans now to relocate. A flood watch is in effect from 2 a.m. Sunday through Tuesday evening as 6 to 8 inches of rain are expected. A coastal flood watch is also in effect from Sunday night to late Monday with water levels reaching around two feet above normal.

Officials expect that saturated soil and strong winds could result in downed trees, power outages and minor structural damage.

For more information please call the Public Information Line at 301-475-4911 from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

For more preparedness information, please visit the following web sites:

prepare.stmarysmd.com
www.Mema.maryland.gov/prepared
www.ready.gov/hurricanes
www.hurricanes.gov

For the updates on Hurricane Sandy news as it develops, follow The Lexington Park Leader on Twitter @lexleader.