On early Monday, Hurricane Debby hit Florida’s Big Bend Coast. The strong winds and heavy rains caused significant damage to the area. The impact of the hurricane was felt by the residents of the coast who had to face the consequences of the natural disaster. Despite the efforts of the authorities to minimize the damage, many homes and buildings were destroyed, and several people were injured. The tropical storm served as a reminder of the importance of being prepared for such emergencies and taking necessary precautions to ensure safety.
Early Monday, Hurricane Debby made landfall on the Big Bend coast of Florida, threatening catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surges as it gradually moves over the northern part of the state. Later that morning, Debby was downgraded to a tropical storm.
In the next few days, there is a warning from forecasters that coastal Georgia and South Carolina may experience intense rain, which could break records. The storm is expected to move towards the east.
As the storm hit the Florida Gulf Coast, it was classified as a Category 1 storm. The landfall occurred close to Steinhatchee, a small community in northern Florida that boasts of less than 1,000 residents. Despite the storm hitting one of the least populated areas of Florida, meteorologists cautioned that the heavy rainfall could lead to disastrous flooding in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida.
According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Debby is currently moving towards the north-northeast at a speed of 8 mph with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph as of 11:00 a.m.
According to the National Hurricane Center’s hurricane specialist, John Cangialosi, Florida is expected to face a significant threat from storm surge. The area near the Big Bend could experience 6 to 10 feet of inundation above ground level, making it the most considerable danger.
On Monday, he expressed that the coastal area is an extremely susceptible location.
Several regions, including Sarasota and Manatee counties, have already been drenched with 10 to 12 inches of rainfall.
“The state’s director of emergency management, Kevin Guthrie, has warned that several rivers and streams are likely to reach major flood stage,” stated Guthrie.
PowerOutage.us reported that as of 11:00 a.m., almost 300,000 homes and businesses in Florida were without power. Meanwhile, in Marion County, located inland and south of Gainesville, authorities shared on their Facebook page on Monday that teams were dispatched to address incidents of power lines and trees that had collapsed on roads and residences.
According to Gov. Ron DeSantis, around 17,000 linemen are currently working to restore electricity to the affected areas. He urged the residents to remain patient and wait for the conditions to become safe before taking any action.
According to DeSantis, flooded streets pose a serious hazard, and it’s crucial to avoid driving through them. He emphasized that it’s not worth the risk and urged people to prioritize their safety. “When the water rises and streets become flooded, it’s important to be cautious,” DeSantis stated. “We don’t want to see any traffic fatalities, so don’t try to drive through these areas. Tempting fate is not worth it.”
According to CBS affiliate WTSP, driving conditions in the Tampa Bay area were made treacherous by Debby’s heavy rainfall, wind, and storm surge. Search and rescue teams were dispatched to find the driver of an 18-wheeler that was found half submerged in the Tampa Bypass Canal after losing control on Interstate 75 in Tampa early on Monday morning.
According to a recent post by Cedar Key Fire Rescue on social media, floodwaters can be seen rising along the streets of the city early Monday. The city is located south of where the storm hit. The post mentioned that water is coming in at a heavy pace. The images shared by the rescue team give a clear idea of the extent of the flooding.