Hurricane Irma Florida: Clay County Institutes Curfew

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FL — Clay County officials have instituted a curfew beginning Sunday night and ending Monday night as Hurricane Irma steamrolls through Florida.

The curfew will be in effect from 8 p.m. Sunday until 8 p.m. Monday, the county said on its Facebook page. Residents should stay inside their homes or in a shelter during the curfew.

Clay County will continue to experience Irma's wrath through Monday, officials said, including tropical storm force winds, up to 15 inches of rain and flooding in low elevation areas. (For more hurricane news and other Jacksonville-area information, click here to sign up for Jacksonville-area real-time news alerts and newsletters from Jacksonville Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Jacksonville Patch iPhone app.)

Black Creek's north and south prong will be at flood stage Monday, officials said, and crest at major flood stage Tuesday. Clay Electric Cooperative is asking residents to prepare for the possibility of a weeklong power outage — or even longer.

Faucet water is safe to drink, the county said. Bridges will close once winds reach 40 mph.

The county ordered a mandatory evacuation for zones A, B and C, which includes areas near the St. John's River, Doctors Lake and Black Creek.

Trash collection services will be suspended Monday and is expected to resume after Irma passes.

Hurricane Irma roared into Florida with 130 mph winds Sunday, striking down power lines, turning streets into gushing rivers and leaving people to wonder when — and if — they'll ever get back to their homes. The 400-mile-wide storm blew ashore, first in the Keys early Sunday and then the mainland Sunday afternoon. Forecasters said it could hit the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area early Monday.

This is a developing story. Hit refresh for updates.

Photo credit: Clay County Sheriff's Office, Florida