FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Some South Floridians who took refuge in shelters for Hurricane Irma returned to their homes Saturday, reacting to how the storm's projected course shifted to exclude southeast Florida.
Officials say they want everyone in shelters to remain there, despite the forecast showing the hurricane moving west, because it'll be dangerous as the weather worsens.
At least 50 people left Park Vista Community High School on Saturday morning, said Principal Reggie Myers.
A volunteer at Park Vista Community High said that so many people had left they aren't sure how to keep track. Still, Myers and others are urging residents to stay. "The storm is unpredictable," Myers said. "Who knows what could happen?"
Park Vista Community High has already taken in nearly 1,000 people and has room for at least 4,000 more.
Also Saturday morning, six people had left the West Boynton Recreation Center, a pet-friendly shelter, said Elizabeth Harfmann, a spokeswoman for Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control. The shelter can't force people to stay, though they are urging them to, she said.
"We've had a few people check out this morning because they feel it's safe enough to go home," she said.
More than 15,000 people are at Palm Beach County's 17 shelters. Shelters have capacity for 47,000 people. Donations are no longer being accepted at shelters, and residents not in evacuation zones are advised to stay at home. A countywide curfew was to take effect at 3 p.m.
Broward County opened two additional shelters Saturday morning. The county has listed the other 19 as full, but Broward Mayor Barbara Sharief said many of those can still take additional people, but only in limited numbers.
And many families also are walking into shelters.
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(Larry Barszewski contributed to this report.)
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