TALLAHASSEE, FL (352today.com) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says Tropical Storm Debby is expected to become a hurricane as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico and brings with it the threat of devastating floods.
The storm is forecast to become a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall Monday in the Big Bend region of the Sunshine State.
“I’d urge all Floridians to be cognizant of the fact that we are going to have a hurricane hit the state, probably a Category 1, but it could be a little bit more powerful than that,” DeSantis said in a Sunday morning briefing.
Expect flooding and power outages
Tropical storms and hurricanes can trigger river flooding and overwhelm drainage systems and canals. Forecasters estimate 6 to 12 inches of rain and up to 18 inches in some areas.
“We are absolutely going to see a lot of rainfall. We are going to see a lot of saturation. We are going to see flooding events,” he said. “There is also going to be power outages.”
DeSantis said that, for the first time, constructed flood control devices are being placed at utility stations to try to minimize the risk of power interruptions because of flooding.
“We think that is going to be able to mitigate some of the power outages,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis says the state has 17,000 linemen, along with 230 pieces of equipment and trucks on standby, ready to deploy immediately after the storm to begin power restoration.
The state leaders stressed that floodwater is dangerous and that it’s not safe to drive on roads covered by water.
They said floodwater also contains hidden dangers ranging from debris to downed power lines, chemicals, hazardous waste and wild animals.
Don’t focus on the center of the storm
Florida is already experiencing impact from Debby and the governor warns residents not to focus on the center.
“This is a big storm. You’re going to have rain that is far beyond the center of the storm,” DeSantis said. “Just because you’re not in the eye of the storm doesn’t mean you’re not going to have major, major impacts from the storm.”
|PREPARING FOR THE STORM: Sandbags, shelters, emergency info for North Central Florida
He urged Floridians to finish storm preps as soon as possible on Sunday.
“If you have items outside your home, bring them inside now. Anything you can pick up, put it up in the event of storm force winds,” the governor advised.
Ready to rapidly respond
DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 of Florida’s 67 counties.
He says the state is ready for rapid response and has pre-staged the following:
- 30,000 bottles of water
- 160,000 meals
- 14,000 tarps
- 1,200 generators to support FDOT
- 3,000 National Guard activated
The Florida Horse Park in Marion County is one of the staging sites for the state.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.