Flooding caused by Tropical Storm Debby forces residents to evacuate
Multiple rescue and law enforcement agencies evacuate residents of the Pinecraft neighborhood on Phillippi Creek in Sarasota
Steven Jordan nervously watched the waters of Tropical Storm Debby rise in the Sarasota home where he and his wife have lived since 1992.
In just under two hours and 30 minutes, the water was up to the kitchen counter. A distraught Jordan took blurry photos of floating appliances before leaving his house, abandoning valuable possessions to the rising floodwaters.
Jordan, his wife and 70 other residents met at Arlington Park and Aquatic Complex on Saturday to seek answers about the cause of the catastrophic flooding and to seek advice on how to repair their damaged or destroyed homes.
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Authorities are waiting for a statement from the federal government that they will receive assistance from FEMA, but have already begun helping residents. Flooding occurred in East Manatee County and Sarasota County, where areas near the Phillippi Creek drainage basin were affected, including Pinecraft, Bellevue Terrace and areas off Lorraine Road and Palmer Boulevard.
Floodwaters are expected to continue to recede, but the water has also overwhelmed the area’s treatment plants, dumping millions of gallons of sewage into the waterways. While a record 11 inches of rain was recorded at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, residents are wondering if there was more than just Mother Nature at play.
“Hopefully there will be answers as to what caused the flooding, but I don’t have any answers today,” said Todd Kerkering, emergency management officer for the city of Sarasota. “I have no concerns about who was responsible, and if it’s the city, we’ll take ownership. Maybe there’s no responsibility for the problem at all – maybe it’s just an act of God.”
Sarasota Building Official Larry Murphy was one of several Sarasota officials who spoke at the meeting and provided information on how residents should file permits for repairs. Before residents can begin storm repairs, they will need an electrical contractor to evacuate their homes.
When it’s time for residents to start repairs, Murphy advises them to be careful when choosing contractors and to check their qualifications on the Department of Business and Professional Regulation website.
“Events like this typically involve people without a contract or license bidding for jobs and doing work they are not qualified to do in their state,” Murphy said.
Jordan and his wife have been staying with family since their home was largely destroyed by water damage. Their home has flooded four times in 32 years, and each time the flooding has gotten worse.
The couple, like most residents, are searching for answers to what caused the flooding. Was it a faulty pump? New construction? Simply a natural disaster? Steven Jordan doesn’t want to blame the pump alone, and he admits that residents may be quick to blame new construction. He still wonders how he, his wife and other families got into this situation.
“Where should the water go now?” said Steven Jordan.
Don Gilliland has lived in the area for 50 years and this is the first time his home has been flooded. Most of his appliances were destroyed by water damage. He hopes a statement from FEMA will be released soon to provide more assistance to those affected by the storm.
“It’s been gratifying,” Gilliland said of the city’s relief efforts. “They’re doing what they can.”
