Hundreds of Thousands Told to Evacuate

With Hurricane Sandy headed their way, state and local officials along the East Coast have told hundreds of thousands of people to flee low-lying areas, NBC News reports. Among those given mandatory evacuation orders:

• 375,000 New Yorkers, including about 45,000 in public housing—where elevator services, hot water, and heat will be shut off, said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The city opened 65 shelters in public schools today and may open more. The New York Times offers a map of evacuation centers by borough.

• 50,000 people in coastal communities in Delaware. Delaware Online lists available shelters and areas under evacuation.
• New Jersey residents from Sandy Hook down to Cape May, including beach resorts and Atlantic City's casinos. Atlantic City has opened five shelters for the 66,000 people affected across five municipalities. The Star-Ledger lists communities under evacuation and available shelters.
• Connecticut residents in vulnerable parts of Fairfield and Bridgeport. City officials in Stamford, Conn., and Islip, New York, have also ordered mandatory evacuations. The Hartford Courant lists affected areas.

Not all are paying heed, however. "I just wanted to be here for it, see it, experience it, and try to take care of my house as much as possible," said a resident who stayed behind to board up his house in Mantoloking, NJ. "I’ve pretty much kind of prepared for every possible situation." (More Hurricane Sandy stories.)