When hurricanes threaten South Carolina, there no longer will be any voluntary evacuations.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH, AP) -- When hurricanes threaten South Carolina, there no longer will be any voluntary evacuations.
The State newspaper reports voluntary evacuations are no longer part of the state hurricane plan.
Gubernatorial orders to evacuate as a hurricane approaches will not be considered mandatory. Officials say that will cause less confusion.
Derrec Becker of the Emergency Management Division says South Carolina was one of the last states to use voluntary evacuation orders given well in advance of a storm. They told people who didn't feel comfortable staying that they should leave the coast.
Becker says a mandatory evacuation will be ordered by the governor in the future.
The Atlantic hurricane season begins next week.
Federal forecasters predict there will be about nine to 15 storms during this year's Atlantic hurricane season.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its initial outlook Thursday for the six-month storm season.
The season got an early start when Tropical Storm Alberto formed last Saturday off South Carolina's coast.
The agency predicts that this year's total will include four to eight hurricanes. One to three of those could become major hurricanes.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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