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Gulf Coast barrier islands evacuated as Hurricane Ian gets closer to landfall

Emergency managers ordered evacuations for Zones A and B from Naples to Tampa

The bridges leading to the barrier islands in Manatee County were closed, starting Tuesday night. Police were stationed at the bridges not allowing anyone back on.

Emergency managers ordered evacuations for Zones A and B from Naples in Collier County to Tampa in Hillsborough County in preparation of Hurricane Ian making landfall on Florida.

[TRENDING: SATELLITE, TRACK, MODELS: Hurricane Ian brings severe weather to Florida | Hurricane Ian: County-by-county impacts in Central Florida | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]

The National Weather Service is predicting storm surges to be as high as 12 feet, depending on where Hurricane Ian comes ashore.

Water services in the barrier islands have been turned off to prevent contamination and gas has become nearly impossible to find on the Gulf Coast. Most stations ran out and shut down.

Drivers told News 6 they went to every gas station from Sarasota to Bradenton and couldn’t find gas.

News 6 is told most people evacuated inland to shelters or hotels or friends and family, but even the few who decided to stay are nervous.

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Dalvid Jimenez, of Palmetto, said he couldn’t leave his seven rescue dogs. He said no shelter would take him.

“I’m scared,” Jimenez said. “I’m not going to lie. Scared because I don’t know what’s going to happen. What if my house gets flooded, I got to run out with seven dogs, I got my parents, I’m going to take care of them, got to take care of my wife, she’s freaking out of the house crying, throwing up, she can’t eat because we can’t leave.”

We are continuing to monitor Hurricane Ian’s impact on Florida, check back here for more details.

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