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MAMARONECK, N.Y. - The Village of Mamaroneck has declared a state of emergency effective 2 p.m. Friday, according to the village website, and has ordered that certain coastal areas be evacuated by Saturday.
"The Village of Mamaroneck is being careful and, based on the information we have, declared an emergency situation," said Mayor Norman Rosenblum.
Based on conversations with the Town, Village of Larchmont and County Office of Emergency, the village will issue a mandatory order for residents to evacuate Mamaroneck's coastal and low-lying areas by 5 p.m. Saturday. They include Washingtonville, Orienta Point and Shore Acres, all of which have experienced past flooding.
The Town of Mamaroneck has also declared a state of emergency and issued mandatory evacuation as of 5 p.m. Saturday for its coastal areas and a voluntary evacuation for the Sheldrake River area.
"If we have significant storm surges and significant instance of down wires and trees blocking roadways, it may be very difficult for our emergency services to access certain areas," Assistant Village Manager Dan Sarnoff said.
Residents in all three municipalities will have access to the temporary shelter at the Mamaroneck High School's Post Road gym, which will open at 5 p.m. Saturday. An American Red Cross trailer containing cots will be loaded into the gym, along with other supplies.
Village police, who will work 12-hour tours beginning Saturday, will have additional staff on hand this weekend to respond to calls. The volunteer Fire Departments will bring in additional personnel as needed.
The Village has lifted parking restrictions and encourages residents living in Mamaroneck's low-lying and coastal areas to move their cars to higher areas, as long as they don't block driveways or fire hydrants.
Hurricane Irene is expected to hit Westchester Saturday night into Sunday as a category-one hurricane, bringing sustained winds in excess of 55 miles per hour and six to 12 inches of rain.
Check back for further updates on Hurricane Irene as they become available. Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date on-the-go.
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