Lancaster residents severely impacted by Tuesday's outbreak of tornadoes are being kept out of their neighborhoods until it is safe to return.
Lancaster Mayor Marcus Knight said Wednesday that the disaster zone has no utility service and that damage to buildings makes it too dangerous for people to be in the area after dusk.
The area will be sealed off to all by police and a curfew will remain in effect from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
The city has opened a shelter at 1700 Veterans Memorial Drive and are accepting volunteers at the same location. The city has specifically asked for certified building inspectors to volunteer to help assess damage.
If residents have left pets or medications behind, the city has a plan to retrieve both. For pets, owners should contact Lancaster Animal Control at 972-218-2639 so that Animal Control Officers can look for and recover the animal. Owners will then be reunited with their pets at the city's animal shelter. Those who left medications behind should visit checkpoints at Town North and Wintergreen or Becky Lane and Prescott so that they can be escorted to their home for the recovery of prescriptions. Residents will the be escorted out of the disaster zone.
The city is also urging residents of the disaster zone whose homes aren't severely damaged to leave the area until it is determined to be safe to return. If residents leave, they will not be allowed to return until all residents are cleared to return to the area.
Lancaster is accepting donations at the Indoor Practice Facility behind Tiger Stadium, 200 E. Wintergreen. The city is accepting donations including but not limited to: nonperishable food items, toiletries, diaper and baby food.
NBC 5's Ken Kalthoff contributed to this report.
