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Hurrcane Debby thrashed thrashed parts of Florida on Monday after making landfall and bringing risks of flooding, dangerous storm surge and power ourages.
The National Hurricane Center announced at around 7am that Debby had made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida, with winds of 80 mph, making it a Category 1 storm. It has since been downgraded to a tropical storm.
The deadly winds ultimately led to the tragic death of a 13-year-old boy in Levy County after a tree fell on a mobile home and the death of a semi-truck driver in Hillsborough County after the truck veered off into a canal.
Two other people, including a 12-year-old boy, were killed in a crash in Dixie County.
A falling tree killed a fifth person, a 19-year-old, in Moultrie, Georgia.
The southeast United States could also see historic levels of rainfall this week according to the National Weather Service.
Debby will travel across Florida before blowing through southern Georgia on Tuesday. The storm is forecasted to hit South Carolina Wednesday through Friday before calming.
Falling tree kills Georgia teen, fifth death from storm
Tropical Storm Debby has now reportedly killed five people since making landfall earlier today.
A 19-year-old in Moutlrie, Georgia, died on Monday when a tree fell on the side of his house, according to Colquitt County officials, CNN reports.
Four others have died in the storm in car crashes and another falling tree incident.
Tropical Storm Debby blows 70lbs of cocaine onto beach in Florida
Well this certainly wasn’t in the forecast.
Tropical Storm Debby, in addition to bringing heavy rains and flooding to the Gulf Coast of Florida, also blew 25 packages of cocaine onto a beach in the Florida Keys, according to Samuel Briggs II, of the Border Patrol.
The packages of drugs, marked with a red, X-like symbol, have a street value of over $1m.
Even as Debby passes, risks remain in Florida
Tropical Storm Debby may be moving out of the north of Florida and towards the southeastern coastal US, but it still leaves plenty of risks behind, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“Deadly hazards remain, including downed power lines and flooded areas,” the NHC wrote in an afternoon update. “Ensure generators are properly ventilated to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Exercise caution when using chainswas and power tools, and drink plenty of water to avoid heat exhaustion.”
Florida police hunt for missing man after sunken boat found
Police in the city of Gulfport, Florida, near Tampa, are searching for Brian J Clough, 48, a local sailor whose boat was found sunken on Monday.
A local boater found the wreck and searched for Clough inside, but the man wasn’t to be found, though his dog was still onboard, according to Gulfport police.
“The Gulfport Police Department has checked with the local boating community but Clough has not yet been located,” the department told WFLA. “When weather conditions improve, additional resource will be used in the search.”
Coast Guard rescues two boaters stranded during Tropical Storm Debby
Hillsborough County officials show recovery of semi truck
What Debby’s landfall looked like from space
Over 500 people have been rescued in this Florida city
Sarasota, Florida, is among the cities on the state’s Gulf Coast hit hard by tropical storm Debby.
According to local first responders, about 500 people have been rescued from flooded homes so far.
South Carolina braces for Debby’s arrival
As tropical storm Debby continues to work its way across the southeast, South Carolina is bracing for the extreme weather to arrive later this week.
By Saturday morning, the state could receive between 10 and 20 inches of rain along its coastal planes, with predicted storm surge of up to four feet and a 70 percent chance of flash flooding along the coast, according to the South Carolina Daily Gazette.
Ron DeSantis warns Florida residents: Don’t try to dry through the storm
Florida governor Ron DeSantis had a warning Monday to residents as tropical storm Debby continues to bring heavy rains and flooding to the state.
“When the water rises, when you have streets that can be flooded, that’s hazardous,” DeSantis said at a public briefing. “Don’t try to drive through this. We don’t want to see traffic fatalities adding up.”
Watch his full remarks here.
Source: independent.co.uk
