SE Texas coastal communities under voluntary evacuation order ahead of Hurricane Francine

As Francine continues to pull away from the Texas coast, the impact expected in southeast Texas continues to diminish.

Low-lying coastal areas, like the Bolivar Peninsula, which is under a voluntary evacuation order, are expected to flood.

Amy Britnell, manager of Parkers Building Supply in Crystal Beach, said she was monitoring the forecast Tuesday to determine what time she and her employees needed to leave the store.

"I think we would be trapped if we didn't get out of here in time," she explained.

Meteorologist Tim Cady of the National Weather Service Houston-Galveston Forecast Office predicted a storm surge of approximately two feet in the area. He said the island's main thoroughfare, Highway 87, is expected to flood.

"Turn around, don't drown," he stressed.

County Judge Mark Henry said the Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry may discontinue service if conditions deteriorate.

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