State of emergency in Southold as Sandy approaches

The Town of Southold will be under a state of emergency as of 5 p.m. Sunday and and that status will continue until further notice, Supervisor Scott Russell said Saturday afternoon.

In addition, at 5 p.m. Sunday the town will open emergency shelters in the Mattituck, Southold, Greenport, Oysterponds and Fishers Island schools and in the town Human Resources building on Pacific Street in Mattituck.

The town is calling for a voluntary evacuation of low-lying and flood-prone areas.

Town Hall will be closed Monday, as will local schools, the supervisor said.

Under an emergency declaration all town roads are closed except for police and emergency response personnel.

“By all estimates we’re going to see damage, such as downed poles and trees, that at the least will be at the level we saw during Hurricane Irene, Mr. Russell said. “We expect a serious storm surge along with high winds and heavy rains. High tides are estimated to be 8 feet above normal.”

Sustained winds may reach tropical story-strength (from 39 to 73 mph) and continue for an extended period, the supervisor added.

The town will post updates on its website, www.southoldtownny.gov, and on Channel 22, the supervisor said.

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