Hurricane Milton evacuation shelter opens in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ga. ( WRBL ) — With Hurricane Milton expected to hit Florida in the coming days an evacuation shelter is being opened in Columbus.

The shelter will be at the Frank D. Chester Recreational Center, 1441 Benning Drive, near the Walmart SuperCenter off Victory Drive.

Columbus Parks and Recreation in partnership with the Red Cross will operate the shelter. The city-run will have the ability to temporarily house up to 125 people.

“Some move up I-75, some of them, you know, maybe be farther east than that or the east side of Georgia and really not set up right now to take people,” Bill Watt, a Red Cross volunteer, said. “But  there’ll be several shelters over here in the central and west south Georgia.”

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency requested Columbus open the shelter. The Muscogee EMA director says the city is prepared to open up to four evacuation centers for Hurricane Milton.

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