Weather
Withlacoochee River Flooding Evacuates Thousands In Hurricane Irma Aftermath
Water is already covering the streets and as high as mailboxes in some places.
LAND O' LAKES, FL — Withlacoochee River's waters are surging, and the flooding has triggered evacuations of thousands of Florida residents in the surrounding region.
And it may take until the end of next week for the water level to begin to drop.
Hernando County Sheriff's officials said Sunday the river has reached major flood stage at the Trilby gauge. The river is currently at 16.79 feet and is expected to crest at 17.5 feet Wednesday. (For more hurricane updates and news from your local community, sign up for real-time news alerts and morning newsletters; find your local Florida Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)
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According to Hernando County officials, 4,000 people have been ordered to evacuate because of the river's flooding. About 1,900 homes are believed to be under threat from the river.
"First responders have been actively on site encouraging residents to heed the evacuation warning," officials said on the county website. "The Enrichment Center, located at 800 John Gary Grubbs Blvd. in Brooksville, has been designated as a host shelter.
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They continued: "PLEASE DO NOT risk the lives of our first responders. If you are living in a low-lying area and are seeing flood waters, we urge you to leave the area now."
Water is already covering the streets and as high as mailboxes in some places. Deputies have gone door to door encouraging residents to leave, warning they may not be able to rescue them once the waters reach a certain level.
Those residents who use well water for their homes should be prepared to test the condition of their water when the flooding recedes. As the river rises, it has the potential to contaminate drinking water nearby.
The flooding is expected to damage homes and infrastructure, and residents may not have power after the water level goes back down.
The Withlacoochee River hasn't seen this level of flooding since the 2004 hurricane season.
Cody Fenwick contributed to this report.
Photo by Chris Livingston/Getty Images