High winds and the anticipation of rising tides from Hurricane Sandy are forcing cities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
In Hoboken, Mayor Dawn Zimmer has ordered a citywide evacuation of all street level residential units, while opening a shelter at the Wallace School Sunday, located at 1100 Willow Avenue, as NJ.com reported.
"This does not mean you have to leave Hoboken," Zimmer said yesterday at a City Hall press conference about the evacuation order. "We are asking neighbors to reach out to neighbors."
During the storm, city officials are asking residents to stay indoors to avoid pools of water that might be contaminated or hiding downed wires.
Meanwhile, in Jersey City, N.J., according to WPIX.com, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy has ordered mandatory evacuations for first floor and basement dwellers in several neighborhoods, including Country Village, Port Liberte, Society Hill, and Downtown Jersey City east of Greene Street from Essex Street to Christopher Columbus Drive, and east of Washington Boulevard between Christopher Columbus Drive and 18th Street.
Shelters for Jersey City residents opened Sunday night at the following locations-School 4, 107 Bright Street; School 7 at 222 Laidlaw Ave.; School 17 at 600 Bergen Avenue ; the Martin Center for the Arts at 59 Wilkinson Avenue; and Dickinson High School at 2 Palisade Avenue.
According to the Hudson Reporter, transportation to Jersey City evacuation shelters will be provided by the Department of Recreation and the Department of Health and Human Services. Hourly Pick-ups began this morning at 8 a.m. and will continue until further notice. Residents can go to the hourly pick-up locations at Society Hill, OLM/Country Village, the Newport Centre McDonald's, the Pavonia PATH Station, the strip mall on Chapel Avenue near Port Liberte.
The Mayor's Action Bureau is currently open and answering calls at (201) 547-4900. The bureau will remain open until further notice.
So far, no evacuations are listed yet for Union City, but the municipal court is closed today and in Hudson County, the MTA has shut down New York City subway, commuter rail and bus services.
So far, the main fear being dealt with in New Jersey communities is the probability of coastal flooding. CNN Breaking News tweeted the following at 11:30 a.m. Monday: "Weather service reports 24-foot seas off New Jersey ahead of Hurricane #Sandy https://on.cnn.com/Pg1gMd ."
In Newark, Mayor Cory Booker this morning urged residents in low lying areas to evacuate as soon as possible, according to Patch, and head for the JFK Rex Center at 211 West Kinney Street before the hurricane hits with full force around 3 p.m.
A full list of streets at risk for flooding in Newark can be found on the city's web site via this link.
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, which can expect the center of the storm to arrive during the night, city officials declared a state of emergency since Sunday and lasting until 5 p.m. Tuesday, according to iradiophilly.com.
All Philadelphia offices are closed Monday, and the city is encouraging residents to stay home and off the roads to keep the roads clear for emergency responders. Three emergency shelters will be open at West Philadelphia High School, Roxborough High School and Fels High School. Residents living in a flood prone area should leave immediately and find friends, family, or a shelter to stay at for the duration of the storm.
Live Coverage & Updates: Hurricane Sandy 2012