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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- Evacuations have been issued for some Tampa Bay area counties ahead of Tropical Storm Helene Tuesday.
As of 1:30 p.m., Citrus and Hernando are the only counties under a mandatory evacuation.
Meanwhile, Sarasota County is expected to issue an evacuation alert early Wednesday morning as the area is still recovering from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Debby.
This story will be updated as counties begin issuing evacuations.
Mandatory evacuations:
Citrus County:
The county has issued a mandatory evacuation for Zone A or any structure countywide that is not capable of withstanding tropical storm force winds or greater on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
Citrus has also declared a state of local emergency on Tuesday.
Don't know your zone? Find it here.
Hernando County:
A mandatory evacuation order will begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday for areas west of US-19, which includes Zones A, B, and C in Hernando County. All residents living in coastal and low-lying areas and manufactured homes are also under evacuation.
Residents should seek shelter with family and friends and use shelters as a last resort, officials said.
Manatee County
A mandatory evacuation for Level A and voluntary evacuations for Level B ahead of impacts from Tropical Storm Helene will go into effect at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, county officials said.
Pasco County
Mandatory evacuations will go into effect at 9 a.m. on Wednesday for the following:
- Zone A
- Everyone living in a manufactured home, mobile home, or RV anywhere in Pasco
- Everyone in low-lying areas or areas prone to flooding
- Everyone in an area ordered evacuated by local authorities due to life-safety hazards
Voluntary evacuations will go into effect at 9 a.m. Wednesday for the following:
- Evacuation Zones B and C
- Everyone registered with Pasco as a Special Needs Resident
- Everyone who would be vulnerable in the event of a power loss
Pinellas County
As of 1:30 p.m., the county has only issued mandatory evacuations for healthcare and long-term care facilities in Zone A.
Sarasota County
Starting at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, an evacuation order will be in place for Zone A, manufactured communities and those in the following communities:
- Fort Creek in Englewood
- Curry Creek in Venice
- Hatchett Creek in Venice
Evacuation centers will open at noon.
"If you do not leave Zone A, there is a strong likelihood you would be inaccessible by emergency services for the duration of the storm and multiple days following," North Port Fire Chief Scott Titus said. "You will likely be without power and could have high levels of water and hazards in your home that have a likelihood of danger to life and health."
The county is under a hurricane watch and declared a local state of emergency.
Tropical Storm Helene
The Gulf Coast of Florida, including Tampa Bay, is under a Hurricane Watch as Tropical Storm Helene finally formed in the Caribbean on Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said.
Helene’s winds are at 45 mph but are expected to strengthen in the next few days, becoming a hurricane on Wednesday and continuing to strengthen on Thursday.
Helene is expected to move across the northwestern Caribbean Sea tonight and move into the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and Thursday. It is expected to make landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida.
Watch Tracking the Tropics on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. CT.
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