UMD Ritchie Coliseum To Be Used As Shelter For Hurricane Victims

COLLEGE PARK, MD -- Authorities are turning Ritchie Coliseum at the University of Maryland into a shelter for victims of Hurricane Florence, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced in a statement.

Hogan authorized the deployment of the Maryland Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (MD-HART) to North Carolina to assist in rescue efforts as Hurricane Florence batters the state.

Additionally, Hogan announced the opening of two shelters "for those seeking a safe place to wait out the storm, including potential evacuees coming from states further south," the statement reads.

Ritchie Coliseum at the University of Maryland in College Park is one of those shelters. It is located at 7950 Baltimore Avenue. The other shelter is Chesapeake College's Health Professions and Athletics Center in Wye Mills.

“As coastal states feel the impact of Hurricane Florence, we are working to ensure that any travelers, evacuees, or Maryland residents seeking shelter have a safe place to stay during the storm, and we also stand ready to assist other states,” said Hogan in the statement. “[MD-HART] is an excellent example of our state and counties working together to provide support to those in need, and we are proud to have the capability to send the MD-HART to North Carolina.”

WILMINGTON, NC - SEPTEMBER 14: Firefighters arrive at a home where a large tree fell on that had three people trapped, after Hurricane Florence hit the area, on September 14, 2018 in Wilmington, North Carolina. One man was taken out of the home in critical condition, and the condition of two others is unknown. Hurricane Florence hit Wilmington as a category 1 storm causing widespread damage and flooding along the Carolina coastline. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)