Seminole County officials are working to address flooding levels in places around the county that they say they have never seen flooded before.
During an afternoon updated provided at the Seminole County Emergency Operations Center, officials say that record-breaking floods have devastated multiple communities, including Lincoln Heights in Sanford, Spring Oaks along the Little Wekiva River in Altamonte Springs, Mockingbird Lane in Winter Springs, and multiple other locations that had never seen this level of flooding before.
Seminole County emergency personnel took in and responded to over 500 calls for service, with hundreds more in process.
Nearly a dozen sheriff’s office police cruisers have been lost due to flooding or fallen debris, according to officials.
Over 167 homes have been affected by the flooding, with more being added to that tally every hour as teams assess damage across the area.
Major thoroughfares are currently washed out with water, including State Road 46 at Interstate 4.
Authorities are advising residents to stay in doors and to not travel unless it is an emergency. Flood terrain vehicles from Seminole County Fire Department and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office are actively making rescues across the community. The National Guard has deployed high profile vehicles to assist.
In addition to flooding, authorities estimate that over 115,000 customers are currently without power throughout the county and over 60 traffic signals are currently not operational.
Multiple lift stations are without power, and water utility providers are going to each of them with generators to lower their water levels.
The county will be closing two shelters and consolidating them. For an update on the remaining shelters that are open, visit PrepareSeminole.org.
Officials estimate that there are approximately 750,000 cubic yards of debris around the area.