Residents on Florida's coast face mandatory evacuations

FERNANDINA BEACH, FL -- Johnny Miller, the mayor of Fernandina Beach, Florida told Diversity News that the city is prepping for the worst.

"We're starting to feel a little bit of a breeze here now so we expect it to be coming in this afternoon and then going throughout this evening. We've been under mandatory evacuation for days - we look like we're going to take a big hit," Miller told Diversity News Wednesday.

The city, which is situated between the ocean and a river and is home to more than 12,000 residents, has created large sand barricades across vulnerable swathes of beach in preparation for the storm's arrival.

Miller said that his main concern was over getting people to evacuate before the bridges close.

He added that there's been an "unprecedented response" to the mandatory evacuation.

"We've been through several of these in the past," he added.