The Palm Beach County Emergency Management Division has ordered everyone living in Zone A to evacuate their homes. That includes residents living in mobile home communities and low-lying areas. In Pahokee, residents in mobile home parks are already making arrangements to evacuate.
"I know how dangerous this can be," said Alejandro Paniagua, a Pahokee High School student.
Anyone living in a manufactured or mobile home or in a flood prone area has to evacuate. Saul Gallardo Pantoja lives in the Golden Mobile Homes community. He spent most of Wednesday securing his home, but plans to seek shelter.
"That will be the safest thing because these mobile homes are not very secure," said Gallardo Pantoja in Spanish.
At the community next door, Paniagua stayed home from school to help his Dad board up their windows. The family is still planning their next move.
"First things first, try to get the home secure, put the plywood and then once the family gets together tonight, we're going to plan something out," said Paniagua.
A shelter at Pahokee Middle School is open. In Belle Glade, Lakeshore Middle School has also opened a shelter.
Pahokee's Deputy City Manager Tammy Jackson-Moore says she has been getting calls from residents who are concerned about riding out the storm in Pahokee because of the dike.
"There are local residents that are very concerned about the integrity of the dike, you know we just celebrated the 1928 storm remembrance and some residents, they remember that and they're just making certain that if they're going to stay here, the dike is going to be safe and hold back those waters," said Jackson-Moore.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay says she spoke to the Army Corps of Engineers and was told the dike is secure and is expected to remain that way during the storm.
