evacuations

Counties in Florida have started calling evacuation orders and opening shelters as Nicole approaches.

Most deaths were in Lee County, where local officials delayed hurricane evacuations until the day before the storm hit. Leaders in other nearby counties ordered evacuations a day earlier.

Heightened evacuation protocols took effect Tuesday with residents living in Level A and B areas required to evacuate. Those living in Level C zones are under voluntary evacuation orders.

With Hurricane Ian approaching, evacuations were ordered along the coast from Pasco County south to Fort Myers.

The city of Cape Coral has approved a hurricane evacuation study to better identify residents' needs in effort to reduce evacuation times.

Some emergency managers are finding the distinction between voluntary and mandatory evacuation orders to be confusing to the public.

Four in 10 Floridians surveyed by the AAA auto club said gas prices might keep them from leaving. The news came as forecasters suggested a potential storm in the Gulf could track toward Florida.

As tensions mount following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Project Dynamo is on the ground in Ukraine for American rescue operations.

The National Hurricane Center says the storm's eyewall is ashore in North Carolina, where more than 20 inches of rain has fallen and storm surge has reached 10 feet in some places.

Flights have been canceled, and highways and bridges in some areas along the southeastern coastline are expected to close ahead of the storm's landfall.

The storm, now Category 2 strength, is still on track to strike the Carolinas Thursday night and Friday.

Just in time for hurricane season, Sarasota County is introducing a plan to help transport people who can’t drive to evacuation centers.Earlier this…