Hurricane Irma: Leaks Found In Lee County Shelter

LEE COUNTY, FL — An arena serving as a shelter for thousands began leaking Sunday as the eye of Hurricane Irma approached the Fort Myers area. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says water was leaking through the roof of Germain Arena in Estero. Authorities say they are monitoring the problem leaks but the facility is stable.

As of 8 p.m. Sunday night, the shelter is open to more evacuees. Thousands of evacuees have packed the 8,400-seat stadium that's home to the Florida Everblades, a minor league hockey team.

The Lee County Office of Emergency Management said in a statement, "Germain Arena is a hardened building that is structurally sound and a safe place for people to be."

Watch: Water Leaks Into Shelter As Irma's Eye Closes In

Officials had expanded mandatory evacuations to more areas of the county, and the county is under an 8 p.m to 7 a.m. curfew until further notice. See the latest information about open shelters and evacuation zones here.

In the latest update, officials say residents should not immediately return to their homes after the storm. When it becomes safe, workers will assess the damage, and residents should have more information by Monday afternoon. According to the latest information from the Lee County Office of Emergency Management, 70,000 customers lost power.

Hurricane Irma landed in Florida Sunday morning, making landfall in Cudjoe Key in the lower Florida Keys, bringing with it torrential rains and howling winds, wreaking havoc across South Florida before making a second landfall on Florida's mainland and landing in Marco Island just before 4 p.m. By 8 p.m., Irma had weakened to a Category 2 storm with sustained winds of 105 mph, and was moving north at 14 miles per hour toward Fort Myers, reported the National Hurricane Center.

Here's a look at the damage Irma has inflicted on Fort Myers from The News-Press.

SEE ALSO:

Hurricane Irma: 3 Lee County Shelters Have Space

Hurricane Irma Live Updates: Florida's West Coast In Danger Of Life-Threatening Storm Surges

Evacuees stand in line to enter the Germain Arena, which is being used as a fallout shelter, in advance of Hurricane Irma, in Estero, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. With the window closing fast for anyone wanting to escape, Irma hurtled toward Florida with 125 mph winds Saturday on a projected track that could take it away from Miami and instead give the Tampa area its first direct hit from a major hurricane in nearly a century. (Gerald Herbert/Associated Press)