‘You Will Not Survive’: All Residents Of 1 FL County Told To Evacuate

FLORIDA — As Hurricane Helene swelled into a powerful Category 4 storm Thursday evening, officials in one Florida county likely to be the site of landfall had a dire message for residents who could be trapped by a 20-foot storm surge.

Helene, now with winds of 130 mph, is heading toward the Big Bend area, where it’s expected to make landfall between 9 and 11 p.m. as “a major hurricane,” according to the National Hurricane Center.

Officials in Taylor County didn’t mince words for its residents after a mandatory evacuation order was issued for the entire county.

Those who refused to leave their homes were told to write their name and date of birth on their leg with a permanent marker.

“The unspoken message: You will not survive this. Help us identify you,” the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post. “If you or someone you know chose not to evacuate, PLEASE write your name, birthday and important information on your arm or leg in A PERMANENT MARKER so that you can be identified and family notified.”

"Helene is a very dangerous and large major hurricane," the NHC said in its 6:20 p.m. ET update. "Damaging hurricane winds and catastrophic storm surge expected to begin in the Florida Big Bend this evening" and could reach 20 feet.

Find a complete list of Florida evacuation orders here.

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