NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA (352today.com) – Residents in the 352 are waking up to a very wet Friday morning, wondering what daylight will bring after a major hurricane tore through the area overnight.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend as a Category 4 around 11:10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says that for the Big Bend area, it’s the strongest storm on record.
Currently, more than a million homes and businesses are without power statewide. Duke Energy reports more than 70.700 are without power in the 352.
Ocala Electric Utility reports that its crews have been working all night to bring back power to their customers.
Here in the 352, effects are already being felt heavily in Gulf Coast communities like Crystal River and Cedar Key, where storm surge has been reported as high as 10 feet or more.
Cedar Key Fire Rescue has started assessing damage to the tiny island community reporting flooding and damage to multiple buildings including:
- Cedar Cove
- The Island Room
- Old Dockside Motel
- The Hardware store
- Cedar Key Post Office
Not even Cedar Key Fire Rescue (CKFR) itself was spared with the agency reporting on Facebook that it took a pretty hard hit. “It actually blew out the storm panels on the front doors,” CKFR says in a post. “Blew out one of the breakaway walls on the back and two entry doors.” The agency goes on to say that it appears at least six feet of water made its way inside.
In Citrus County, rescue teams are using boats to help people stuck in floodwaters. The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) says that first responders with their agency are being assisted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Citrus County Fire Rescue, Crystal River Fire Rescue, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
CCSO advises that if you find yourself stuck in floodwaters, you should call for assistance instead of trying to navigate the water on your own. The storm surge is still rising, and traffic cameras in Citrus County indicate that US Hwy. 19 is blocked in several places, extending beyond Gulf-to-Lake Highway (Hwy. 44).
Dixie County Fire Rescue (DCFR) shares that as of 4 a.m., 92% of customers in Dixie County are without power. They say that this indicates many power lines are down. DCFR asks that you stay indoors and avoid dangerous road conditions, and that you be patient as crews work to clear the roads.
As daylight breaks, agencies will be better able to assess damages.