Ivey Issues Mandatory Evacuation For Coastal Areas As Hurricane Nears

With Hurricane Isaias continuing to gain strength and shifting its track back to the east, Gov. Ivey has raised the evacuation order from voluntary to mandatory in Alabama’s Gulf Coast counties of Baldwin and Mobile.

The executive proclamation declaring a mandatory evacuation for all non-residents, tourists and visitors in Alabama coastal areas was issued this afternoon by the governor’s office and is effective immediately.

The proclamation orders all Baldwin County areas south of the Intracoastal Waterway, including the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, to be evacuated until the current state of emergency expires or is modified.

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In Mobile County, the mandatory evacuation covers Zone 1, which includes Dauphin Island and portions of Bayou La Batre. The order is issued under the Alabama Emergency Management Act of 1955, suspending conflicting state laws during the emergency. It was attested to by Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen.

Mandatory evacuations in Alabama are not common, but they have happened during major Gulf hurricanes such as Ivan in 2004, Katrina in 2005 and Sally in 2020. They are typically ordered due to forecasted life-threatening storm surge, unsafe conditions on the barrier islands, the potential for road access to be cut and the need to move the tourist population out of danger.

The strengthening hurricane is expected to make landfall tomorrow night or early Friday morning with wind speeds upward of 100 mph and at least a 5-foot storm surge. Baldwin County is particularly at risk due to the significant number of rivers and streams that run through the county.