Hurricane Debby made landfall in a sparsely populated area of Florida, but experts cautioned that heavy rainfall could lead to severe flooding in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. As of Monday, approximately 300,000 customers were without power in Florida and Georgia, according to PowerOutage.com.
The National Hurricane Center reported that Debby had sustained winds of 75 mph.
Here are the latest updates:
Primary Concern: Storm Surge from Debby
Forecasters highlighted storm surge as the most significant threat for Florida, with a forecast of 6 to 10 feet (1.8 to 3 meters) of flooding above ground level in certain areas near the Big Bend.
“That particular coastline is highly vulnerable,” remarked John Cangialosi, a hurricane expert from the National Hurricane Center, on Monday. Some regions, including Sarasota and Manatee counties, had already received 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters) of rain.
In Georgia, the National Weather Service anticipated major flooding along several rivers like the Canoochee River near Claxton, the Ohoopee River near Reidsville, and the Ogeechee River near Eden. While these rivers were below flood stage on Monday, their water levels could more than double by the end of the week.
Significant Power Outages Reported
With about 300,000 customers experiencing power outages in Florida and Georgia on Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis disclosed that 17,000 workers were striving to restore electricity. He advised residents in affected regions to remain indoors until conditions improved.
DeSantis cautioned, “It is dangerous when water levels rise and streets become flooded. It is not safe to drive through these conditions. We want to prevent any traffic accidents due to flooded streets.”
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