STEINHATCHEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis said as of Tuesday morning, there were still 110,000 customers in Florida that were without power after Debby blew through the state.
Debby made landfall as a hurricane on Monday and dropped huge amounts of rain on the Big Bend region and beyond.
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Tropical Storm Debby has moved into the U.S. Southeast with what is likely to be long torrential downpours and flooding after raking Florida.
MORE: Tropical Storm Debby could bring flash flooding to Georgia, Carolinas
The storm killed at least five people on Monday and is causing flash flooding in historic Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina, as well as elsewhere on the Southeast’s Atlantic Coast.
DeSantis said during a Tuesday news conference that 600,000 customers who lost power had it restored by Tuesday, but many in Jefferson County are still in the dark.
Governor Ron DeSantis Provides Update on State Response to Tropical Storm Debby in Steinhatchee https://t.co/Mh8nWHRrve
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) August 6, 2024
The main concern going forward is flooding, DeSantis said. He said there will be continued risks of flooding over the next few days and up to two weeks from now.
RELATED: Minor to moderate flooding in Clay County as Black Creek swells from Tropical Storm Debby
About 500 people were rescued from flooded homes in Sarasota, a beach city popular with tourists, the Sarasota Police Department said Monday in a social media post.
“Essentially we’ve had twice the amount of the rain that was predicted for us to have,” Sarasota County Fire Chief David Rathbun said in a social media update.
Just north of Sarasota, officials in Manatee County said in a news release that 186 people were rescued from flood waters.
“We are facing an unprecedented weather event with Hurricane Debby,” said Jodie Fiske, Manatee County’s public safety director. “The safety of our residents is our top priority, and we are doing everything in our power to respond effectively to this crisis.”
DeSantis said the state has assisted in 996 rescue missions and another 500 are anticipated.
Ports that closed Tuesday in Southwest Florida have reopened and airports in the state remained open during the storm, DeSantis said.
DeSantis said residents should continue to use caution around floodwaters and on roads.
