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Fay Dumps On N. Florida

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 23, 2008

TAMPA - Tropical Storm Fay hobbled across northern Florida on Friday as the state's death toll related to the storm rose to seven. The storm, which has never reached hurricane status, dumped huge amounts of rain in some parts of Florida.

Along the northern peninsula, the storm uncorked 4 to 8 inches of rain as it slowly moved westward.

Tropical storm and flood warnings were in effect for Hernando, Citrus and Levy counties, where emergency officials kept a close eye on rain and flood conditions. In the Tampa Bay area, rain drizzled off and on for most of the day. Wind gusts of up to 35 mph were noted along the Gulf Coast.

In the Tampa Bay area this weekend, the chance of rain is 60 percent today and 50 percent Sunday, with scattered thunderstorms both days, said Todd Barron, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

The storm was forecast to gradually weaken as it travels across the state's northern peninsula and into the Panhandle today and Sunday.

Fay has been vexing the state since Monday. It has dumped more than 2 feet of rain along parts of Florida's low-lying central Atlantic coast, and is just the fourth storm to make landfall in Florida three separate times, and the first in nearly 50 years.

Rain swelled the Peace River near Arcadia, prompting a river flood warning in DeSoto County on Friday.

According to an advisory, the river was cresting at 9.6 feet above sea level near Arcadia on Friday morning. The river is expected to reach flood stage of 11 feet tonight and continue to rise until early Sunday morning.

Bush Declares Disaster

President Bush has issued a federal disaster declaration for the affected parts of Florida as hundreds of residents have fled floodwaters that drove alligators and snakes out of their habitats and into streets.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is warning Floridians not to attempt to rescue wild animals or interact with wildlife in the wake of Tropical Storm Fay.

The commission said the displaced wild animals should return to their natural habitats once the water recedes.

"Other animals, such as young rabbits, raccoons and opossums also are being scattered by flooding," said a commission advisory. Officers said that people should "not attempt to rescue them, because the animals are stressed and are likely to bite or scratch would-be rescuers.

"Although the storm may claim some individual animals, Florida's wildlife has adapted over time to extreme weather and the wildlife populations will recover," the advisory states

State officials tallied storm casualties Friday.

The first Florida fatality, carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator being used indoors, occurred in Highlands County, where the medical examiner received the body Aug. 16.

There were two storm-related traffic deaths Wednesday, one in Indian River County and the other in Duval County, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey said in Tallahassee.

The traffic death in Indian River County occurred when a motorist hydroplaned and lost control of his vehicle as he approached an intersection, according to FDLE. The other accident Wednesday, in Duval, occurred when a 16-year-old girl's vehicle spun out of control and was struck by a sport utility vehicle.

Bailey said that there were three fatalities Thursday. "Two of those were swimming-related accidents - both of them women swimming in high surf - and then the last one was in Duval, another traffic-related accident."

One of the drowning victims was in waist-deep water in the Atlantic Ocean off Duval County, where she was pulled underwater and did not resurface for 10 minutes. There were strong undercurrents attributed to Fay. The other drowning victim, in Volusia County, also was in waist-deep water and pulled under by heavy surf.

Friday afternoon, Gov. Charlie Crist announced a seventh fatality had occurred from a traffic accident in Nassau County.

According to Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, several thousand homes in Florida have experienced flooding. A more exact damage tally is pending, he said.

Overall, the storm has been blamed for 28 deaths, mostly in the Caribbean.

Driving conditions on interstate highways in North Florida were difficult enough in a car, but Jim Frazier and Deb Fairchild were crossing the state on a motorcycle trying to get back to Illinois after a week in Daytona Beach.

"It's pretty brutal," said Frazier, 47, of Danville, Ill., adding the high winds have caused him to swerve several times on the highway.

Emergency officials planned to begin surveying damage on the coast as floodwaters recede. In Brevard and St. Lucie counties, residents welcomed muddy brown water lines on homes - signifying the receding of floodwaters.

Officials in Melbourne carried boats down streets, where a day earlier 4 feet of water made roads look like rivers. About 150 people in Brevard County were evacuated by authorities; 100 others left their homes voluntarily.

Atlantic Coast Hard Hit

Flooding was especially acute along Florida's Atlantic Coast from Port St. Lucie to Cape Canaveral, with water reaching depths of 5 feet and more in some neighborhoods.

"This is the worst I've absolutely ever seen it," said Mike White, 57, after he was rescued by the Florida National Guard from floodwaters lapping at the door of his mobile home.

Brevard County officials gave a preliminary damage estimate of $12 million in Melbourne, mostly from flooding, and $2.6 million from beach erosion.

The National Weather Service said southern Georgia could see some flooding from 5 to 10 inches of rain.

Information from Tribune reporters Keith Morelli and Catherine Dolinski, News Channel 8 reporter Jeff Patterson and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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