Video: Hurricane Sandy: 'it's getting too late to leave', says New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg issued a mandatory evacuation order on Monday for 375,000 people in zones at risk of floods, but few have left their homes in the mainly seafront districts. "Conditions are deteriorating very rapidly and the window for getting out safely is closing," Mayor Bloomberg told a press conference. "It's getting too late to leave," he added. Mayor Bloomberg said there were 16,000 beds in emergency shelters set up in 76 schools across New York but only 3,000 people and 73 pets had spent Sunday night there. The mayor said there could be a storm surge of 11-12 feet in southern Manhattan later on Monday. The evening high tide could bring waves of 15 to 20 feet. All public transport has been suspended in New York because of the major storm, some major roads in Manhattan had already been closed and two of the three Manhattan island road tunnels are due to close.