Bethune-Cookman orders evacuation ahead of Hurricane Dorian

Dorian projected to hit Florida as Category 4 hurricane

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach has issued a mandatory campus evacuation order.

According to a statement released by B-CU, students must leave residence halls and campus by 6 p.m. Friday.

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Dorian is on a projected path to Florida, where it could strike as a Category 4 hurricane before tracking through the Orlando area, putting Daytona Beach on the most dangerous side of the storm.

The statement said a return date for students, staff and faculty will be published on the school's website and social media pages. The information will also be emailed to students.

Students were strongly encouraged to secure their personal belongings and take all medications and valuables. 

Kyla Locke, who lives on campus, told News 6 she had plans to leave even before the evacuation order was issued.

"I actually booked my flight on Tuesday because I knew the storm was coming and I already knew I needed a way to go home and I live so far, so I needed to book my flight," Locke said.

"I checked my student email and when they said it was an emergency evacuation, it was very nerve-wracking because I've never been through an evacuation before," student Malik Gray said. 

Volusia County officials said more evacuation orders could take place later Friday or Saturday.
 


About the Author

Ezzy Castro is a multimedia journalist on News 6's morning team who has a passion for telling the stories of the people in the Central Florida community. Ezzy worked at WFOR CBS4 in South Florida and KBMT in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Being from Miami, Ezzy loves Cuban coffee and croquetas!

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