Weather
Hurricane Irma: Orlando Moves Into 'Recovery Phase'
The power is still out for 300,000 customers, and residents are asked to minimize water use to prevent sewer backups.
ORLANDO, FL — The Orlando area has moved into "recovery phase" one day after Hurricane Irma battered Central Florida and moved north through the storm-soaked state, leaving a wake of power outages, flooding and debris. At least one person died in a collision Sunday night, officials said.
Tuesday morning, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said about 300,000 homes are still without power, and residents are asked to avoid using water as much as possible, including showering, doing laundry and flushing toilets, until crews are able to resolve issues with the county wastewater pumps. Although the majority of roads have been deemed safe to drive on, residents are urged to use caution when driving as hundreds of traffic signals are still not working due to lack of power.
IMPORTANT! Intersections should be treated as 4 way stops. If signal is out, stop completely. Lots of you are not doing that today! pic.twitter.com/JTaQ8TKQ3O
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) September 12, 2017
Jacobs issued a countywide curfew for residents Sunday night, which was lifted Monday night. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer spoke to his citizens about Irma, what they are doing to weather it and what residents should do.
Find out what's happening in Orlandofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Watch: Hurricane Irma Weakens To A Tropical Storm, But It's Still Dangerous
Find out what's happening in Orlandofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Officials said 130 homes were flooded on Sunday, prompting evacuations. Jacobs said the fire department rescued 135 residents and their pets during the Orla Vista evacuations.
Strike teams were deployed countywide to address emergency situations on Monday morning. Officials said the majority of Orange County shelters closed Monday night. Residents are reminded to stay out of flood waters, which can be hazardous.
Countless pets rescued from Orlo Vista flood with help from @NationalGuard. Thank you for supporting us and coming to our community's aid! pic.twitter.com/vRT2NCxmPj
— OCFire Rescue (@OCFireRescue) September 11, 2017
OCFRD and @NationalGuard team up to rescue 149 residents from 550 homes impacted by flooding in Orlo Vista area this morning. pic.twitter.com/VdWYIV2miM
— OCFire Rescue (@OCFireRescue) September 11, 2017
See Also:
- Hurricane Irma In Orange County: Puppy Left To Die In Cage
- Hurricane Irma Creature Feature: Yikes, Alligators; Swoon, Manatees
- Suspects Caught On Camera Burglarizing Orlando Sporting Good Store During Hurricane Irma Arrested, Cops Say
On Monday, authorities in Cocoa said the community's water system has multiple or major water main breaks. The City of Cocoa Utilities is working with other agencies to assess and identify the location of breaks so crews can begin repairs when it is safe to work.
The Cocoa Utility Water System includes Patrick Air Force Base, Kennedy Space Center, Port Canaveral, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Cocoa, Port St. John, Rockledge and Viera.
If customers notice major utility damage with a significant amount of water in their area, they are asked to take a picture and forward it along with the address or cross streets to the city of Cocoa to help authorities identify the major cause for the system failure. Pictures and/or addresses can be e-mailed to ssenger@cocoafl.org or sent via Facebook or Twitter. Residents are also asked to tip, toss or cover any standing water to prevent mosquitos from breeding.
Orange County will open 10 debris drop-off sites within the next two days, according to officials. Residents can call 311 to get updated information about drop-off locations.
Orlando International Airport has reopened, and passengers are encouraged to call their airline before going to the airport.
Commercial operations now officially underway at MCO! @Delta flight 1818 rolls up to the gate as the first flight after #Irma. pic.twitter.com/78G4OFpx7W
— Orlando Intl Airport (@MCO) September 12, 2017
Orange County Utilities customers who need to report a water outage or sewer overflow, please call 407-836-2777. pic.twitter.com/eNBVO7IPie
— Orange County FL (@OrangeCoFL) September 11, 2017
.@OrangeCoFL residents are encouraged to keep these numbers handy to report power outages, submit questions and get updates. #HurricaneIrma pic.twitter.com/xjEGCOL4FK
— Mayor Teresa Jacobs (@Mayor_Jacobs) September 11, 2017
Photo courtesy OCFire Rescue via Twitter
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