Hurricane Michael approaches Florida: "The time to evacuate has come and gone. Seeking refuge immediately & # 39;

Shortly after, the Florida Highway Patrol announced that she to keep his soldiers away from the coastal areas because it would be just too dangerous to keep them in these areas.

"We have done everything in our power to get the message across," said Franklin County Sheriff, A.J. Smith told the Associated Press. "I hope more people will leave."

(PLUS: follow Hurricane Michael)

More than 375,000 people in 22 counties along the Gulf Coast were either ordered or evacuated, officials said. All airports along the Florida Panhandle will be closed during the storm and all flights have been canceled until the reopening of these airports.

In the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, at least seven cruise ships have changed their route because of hurricane, according to Cruise Critic. Six of the ships belonged to Carnival Cruise Line, while the seventh was a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, the report added.

In Florida, Georgia and Alabama, exception states have been reported. Governors have tried to free up as many resources as possible for storm and emergency response.

Hundreds of rescue teams and utility trucks hit the region as they prepared to help.

Here is an overview of how each state is preparing for the effects of Hurricane Michael.

Florida

Mandatory evacuations were ordered Monday along the Florida Panhandle, including in areas of Panama City, at Michael's approach. In total, mandatory evacuations affected approximately 180,000 people.

"If you are in evacuation order, leave, do not wait," Governor Rick Scott said at a press conference held on Tuesday. "If you're on the fence, do not think about it, do it, this storm can kill you."

(PLUS: Open shelters like Michael near the Gulf Coast)

The authorities also warned residents that there was almost no time to prepare for the storm, as the impacts were to start along the coast Tuesday night.

"Guess what? It's today," said APA Ken Graham the National Hurricane Center. "If they tell you to leave, you have to leave."

Evacuation orders were expanded for other areas on the passing of the storm Tuesday. Mandatory evacuations were ordered Tuesday afternoon for the island of Okaloosa and Holiday Isle, and voluntary evacuations were held for residents of the flood-prone areas of Pasco County.

FloridaDisaster.org has a complete list zones under compulsory and voluntary evacuation.

(VACATION CARDS: Bay County | Wakulla County | Gulf County | Walton County)

"If you decide to stay home and a tree falls on your house or the storm surge catches you and you are now calling for help, there is no one there that can answer your request, "warned the Sheriff of Escambia County, David Morgan, during a press conference Monday. "It's the criticality of following instructions."

Scott said more than 2,500 members of the Florida National Guard have been activated and another 300 are ready. He added that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was ready for deployment and that the Department of Transport was monitoring the situation.

The governor also lifted all tolls on the bridge Monday before the storm.

On Monday morning, the residents of Tallahassee flocked to the shops to stock up on food and water and to fill up their petrol vehicles, reported the Tallahassee Democrat. The generators were sold in many stores in the area.

In one area of ​​Costco, members were warned that they were allowed to buy only two packets of water.

Costco's customer, Krista Flanagan, told the Democrat that long queues and frenzy are not surprising.

"I have been here for a few years, so it's normal," said Flanagan newspaper, originally from Ohio.

As a precautionary measure, Tyndall Air Force Base ordered the evacuation of all essential military and civilian personnel outside the mission. In addition, Tyndall and Hurlburt Field are evacuating aircraft, and Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle has also moved planes inland before the storm.

ExxonMobil and BP evacuate their employees from the platforms located in the Gulf before the storm, Reuters reported.

Florida State University, Florida A & M University and Tallahassee Community College all announced the closure of campuses from Tuesday to Friday. The FSU opened the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center as a shelter for students and teachers.

Leon County Schools has published a tweet monday saying that all schools would be closed during the rest of the week. Bay District Schools will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, reported the Panama City News Herald.