Pasco Opens New Shelter for Flood Evacuees

Pasco County residents who have been forced from their homes as the Anclote River continues to rise will find a new shelter open to them as of Tuesday afternoon.

The county announced the Mike Fasano Regional Hurricane Shelter is opening its doors to enable the Red Cross to serve evacuees better, an email to media stated.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 38 people were being transported to the 11611 Denton Ave. shelter in Hudson. The shelter’s opening means that others opened in the county following days of flooding are closing.

“This will be the only shelter open in Pasco County,” the email stated.

Evacuation orders still stand for neighborhoods in the Elfers area. The county also decided on Tuesday morning to evacuate residents from the Oaks View Apartments in New Port Richey. Water levels were so high there that Duke Energy had to be called out to cut the power since air conditioning units were in standing water, the county noted.

Residents in need of more information can call the county’s information center. It will be open Tuesday until 8 p.m. and can be reached by calling 727-847-2411, 352-523-2411 or 813- 996-2411. After 8 p.m. residents may call 2-1-1 for assistance.

Anyone who has an emergency is asked to call 9-1-1 directly.

For more information about the hurricane shelter, visit Pasco County online.

Photo courtesy of Pasco County