Sandbags Available Through Manatee County As Storm Approaches FL

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — With potential Tropical Storm Alex approaching Florida, sandbags are available to county residents through Manatee County Public Works in some of the area’s more flood-prone areas, including Manatee Beach.

As of early Friday afternoon, Potential Tropical Cyclone One is about 420 miles southwest of Fort Myers and poised to become Tropical Storm Alex later in the day.

Twelve pallets of sandbags are being distributed by Manatee County at 4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, on a first-come, first-served basis with a ten-bag-per-person limit, according to a county news release.

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General public self-serve locations are also available at the Rubonia Community Center, 1309 72nd Street E in Palmetto, and the Myakka Community Center, 10060 Wauchula Rd. in Myakka City.

In addition to distributing sandbags, the county has also closed all pools and aquatic centers for the weekend.

The storm is expected to move across the southeastern Gulf of Mexico through Friday night, across the southern and central portions of the Florida peninsula on Saturday, and then over the southwestern Atlantic north of the Bahamas Saturday afternoon through Sunday, the National Hurricane Center told Patch.

Central Florida, South Florida and the Florida Keys can expect 4 to 8 inches of rain with a maximum of 12 inches across South Florida and in the Keys, the NHC said.