City, county offices close as evacuations are issued

Evacuations have been issued as the city of North Port and Sarasota County close through Thursday as Tropical Storm Idalia draws near. 

The city of North Port's offices will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 29-30. The city also declared a local state of emergency as forecasts show potential for storm surge, a press release states. Idalia is expected to make landfall early Wednesday. 

Joining the closure is Sarasota County operations, which ceased Monday, Aug. 28, at 1 p.m. The county will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday as well. 

Currently, Evacuation Zone A has been issued for Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota counties, which includes low-lying areas, mobile and manufactured homes. 

"We’re expecting significant storm surge along the barrier islands and coastal communities for Idalia, with the earliest arrival predicted for Tuesday,” Manatee County Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske says in a release. “This is a very dangerous track that we all need to be aware of.”