Brazoria County judge says GET OUT!

Brazoria County Judge John Willy on Tuesday ordered a "mandatory" evacuation of southern portions of the county where Texas began cause of Lovely Rita, hurricane. As reported by

Brazoria County officials have called for a mandatory evacuation beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday as Hurricane Rita nears.

A voluntary evacuation went into effect at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

A mandatory evacuation for health-care facilities, including nursing homes, hospices and hospitals, goes into effect at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Brazoria County Judge John Willy called the evacuation and reminded residents that there are no hurricane shelters in the county.

The mandatory evacuation will go in stages, beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Those living in low-lying coastal areas such as Surfside Beach, Quintana and San Luis Pass will leave first, Willy said.

Residents in Zone B, south of FM 2004, should begin evacuating at 2 a.m. Thursday.

Residents in Zone C, which is between FM 2004 and Highway 35, should begin evacuating at noon Thursday.

If Hurricane Rita develops in a Category 4 or 5 storm, residents in all other areas of the county need to be prepared to evacuate, officials said.

Excuse my impertinence, but this business about a "mandatory" evacuation is hogwash. Nobody's gonna make you leave if you don't want. That's not to say you shouldn't leave. But nobody's gonna come make you leave at gunpoint, or under threat of some kinda fine. Unless there's something I don't know. But don't call 911 and expect someone to come rescue you in the middle of a hurricane if you don't leave. That always happens with a few hardheads in Surfside, but maybe not this time, cause of what Katrina did.
[the facts]