49.0°,
Fair Mandatory evacuation for Oceanside and Island Park
Island Park, Oceanside schools closing ahead of storm
UPDATE, 9:15 p.m. Sunday: Though Hurricane Sandy has yet to make landfall in New York, streets in Island Park have already begun to flood. With the expected storm surge from Sandy, Island Park could see serious flooding over the next two days.
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano has issued a mandatory evacuation for all Nassau County residents south of Merrick Road from Rockville Centre to the Suffolk County Line. That includes all of Oceanside and Island Park.
Both Oceanside and Island Park school districts are closed on Monday. Schools in both communities will not be used as shelters because of their location in the flood zone.
The Long Beach Bridge is also now closed to southbound traffic.
To help in evacuating the barrier island, the Atlantic Beach Bridge leading to Route 878 (Nassau Expressway) to Rockaway Turnpike will be adjusted for northern traffic flow only beginning at 4 p.m.
The Island Park Fire Department advises residents to evacuate the area. During a mandatory evacuation, emergency response times will slow and eventually stop when conditions become too dangerous for emergency service personnel to operate.
