Hurricane Ian: ‘Historic flooding’ in some Central Florida areas forces evacuations

Multiple rescue efforts unfolded Thursday after Tropical Storm Ian plowed through and dumped a deluge on Central Florida, flooding homes, threatening motorists with inches-deep waters on streets, downing trees and road signs and leaving thousands without power.

Some of the region’s worst flooding was seen in Osceola County. Tim Sedlock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne, said measurements in Campbell, an area just southwest of Kissimmee, recorded rainfall totals of 15.65 inches.

Other parts of the region experienced a similar deluge: Readings in the Union Park area of Orange County hit 16.9 inches, while 16.14 inches of water fell on a site in the Lake Mary area. In Lake County, the highest total was recorded in Astor: 8.25 inches.

At Good Samaritan Society’s Kissimmee Village, a 55-and-up community of about 1,300 residents in Kissimmee, first responders used an airboat to rescue people who were trapped in knee-to-waist-deep floodwaters.

Andrew Sullivan, a spokesman for Osceola County Fire Rescue, said Thursday that all of the facility’s assisted living residents had been evacuated. The Osceola County Office of Emergency Management said it planned to turn off power to the community due to the massive flooding.

Ian produced unprecedented flooding in Osceola County, forcing two hospitals to divert patients, Sullivan said. The National Guard staged at Silver Spurs Arena for rescue efforts.

“It is widespread, and it is at levels we have not seen before in my time here and many other people’s time here,” he said.

The City of Kissimmee announced a mandatory curfew beginning Thursday from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. with an exception for essential personnel and those that need to travel to and from work, Kissimmee City Manager Mike Steigerwald said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.

“We are currently in the process of sheltering individuals rescued,” Steigerwald said. “Our units are currently working quickly to get assistance to those within the impacted neighborhoods.”

The areas hardest hit by flood waters and where most of the rescues were taking place are north Kissimmee, along Central Avenue; Columbia Avenue corridors where the city ditch is located; the Woodside Neighborhood in the western side of Kissimmee; Emory Canal neighborhood near Osceola High School and along Shingle Creek.

“Part of the issues we’ve been having is just the extreme amount of water that has been dumped in a very short period of time in the Kissimmee area,” Steigerwald said.

The City of Kissimmee has partnered with local county police and fire rescue and has received high-water rescue equipment and additional ambulances, Steigerwald said.

“If you are in those areas impacted and you have called 9-1-1 we have you on our list,” Steigerwald said. “We’re working through that list as best we can.”

Around 100 people have been rescued so far in the City of Kissimmee with 17 additional people having been taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, said Melissa Zayas-Moreno, Kissimmee spokesperson.

“We want people to please stay in place as we have extensive flooding,” Kissimmee Mayor Olga Gonzalez said.

Orange

Orange County officials said Thursday afternoon that fire rescues crews conducted water rescues in 12 neighborhoods across the county.

The National Guard said it was deploying six high-water trucks to three fire stations – Nos. 30, 51 and 80 – to help with evacuations.

Mayor Jerry Demings and Sheriff John Mina urged people to stay home due to significant flooding, downed power lines and trees blocking roads. But they didn’t issue a curfew.

Firefighters and law enforcement rescued about 30 people from the Hope Circle area of Orlo Vista, a low-lying flood-prone area near Kirkman Road, five miles west of downtown Orlando.

Orange County Utilities Manager Ed Torres asked residents to limit water usage to limit strain on wastewater systems. If drains back up, he said to call 311 so crews can be dispatched.

Damage assessments began Thursday afternoon by county public works staff in West Orange. On Friday, if winds die down on the east side, crews will assess those areas, said Diana Almodovar, the deputy public works director.

Demings said average rainfall in the county has been between 8 inches and 12 inches, though some areas measured 16 inches.

Orlando was doused with “historic flooding,” Mayor Buddy Dyer said, and could have standing water in neighborhoods throughout the city for days.

Flooding was reported in nearly every pocket of Orlando, from famed Lake Eola Park to downtown neighborhoods like Delaney Park and Lake Davis, to College Park and west to Carver Shores and Richmond Heights.

“Unfortunately, the only way the water is going to recede is naturally,” Dyer said. “We need to be patient and let the water recede.”

College Park resident Chris Suto said his girlfriend woke him up about 4 a.m. Thursday when she heard “bubbling noises.” The bedroom of their home was filling with water that was already ankle deep.

They woke their two roommates, put electronics and other valuables up high and tried to fight back the water.

“We had brooms and just started sweeping, which was pointless in the beginning because it was just flooding too fast,” he said.

He thought about leaving and driving to a hotel or his parents’ condo in Longwood, but when he looked outside the flood water on Golfview Street was halfway up his car’s door.

Eventually, the water started to recede and by late morning they’d managed to dry out much of the house.

When the rain let up later Thursday, he and his roommates walked to nearby Lake Adair, which had overflown its banks in several places, flooded a section of Edgewater Drive and, he said, seemed to be flowing into nearby Lake Concord. The section of Edgewater Drive between the lakes, near Lake Adair Boulevard, was covered with water that was nearly waist deep.

“It’s not something I would guess would happen,” he added.

In east Orange, Jeff Blostein said he expected some flooding but “nothing major” after he traveled from South Florida to ride out Hurricane Ian with his 20-year-old daughter at her Arden Villas apartment near UCF.

“We were more worried about the wind,” the 51-year-old from Coconut Creek said.

When he woke up early Thursday, the water level was “pretty significant” but not too bad, he said. But as the day continued, the flood waters increased rapidly into a “horrific” scene, Blostein said.

“The entire complex is underwater — and I’m not overstating that,” he said. “I’ve really never seen anything like it.”

Seminole

In the beginning hours of Hurricane Ian, as the powerful storm crept across Florida, sheets of rainwater flowed down into Little Wekiva Road in Spring Oaks neighborhood in Altamonte Springs. Through the night, the water began to rise and seeped into the homes along the Little Wekiva River.

By morning, most residents had either sought another place or were evacuated by emergency officials. Seminole officials said Hurricane Ian flooded the homes on Little Wekiva Drive to “historic” levels.

Seminole County officials urged residents to stay inside and off the roads as flood conditions persist in parts of the county and responders work to clear debris from roads and assist those in need.

Over 167 homes and counting are affected by “historic” flooding, county Emergency Manager Alan Harris said, and responders are seeing flooding occur in unprecedented areas.

“Several roadways are washed out, so again, we are encouraging people to not travel if you do not have to,” he said, including State Road 46 near Interstate 4. “Turn around, don’t drown.”

Neighborhoods that experienced flooding included Lincoln Heights in Sanford, Spring Oaks along the Little Wekiva River in Altamonte Springs and Mockingbird Lane in Winter Springs.

Sheriff Dennis Lemma said the Sheriff’s Office lost around 10 vehicles due to flooding or falling debris.

Crews have cleared about 750,000 cubic yards of debris from Seminole County, Harris said. Debris cleanup will likely take “weeks and months,” he added.

The county is still working to restore power to residents and utilities. Around 115,000 people were without power across Seminole County as of 2 p.m., nearly 60 traffic signals were out and some water utility lift stations were still running on generator power, Harris said.

The county is consolidating two storm shelters, those at Lake Mary High School and Lawton Chiles Middle School, to neighboring shelters. “Plenty of capacity” is still available at remaining shelters, Harris said. A full list of open shelters is available at prepareseminole.org.

County Fire Chief Matt Kinley said firefighters and EMTs have responded to flooding calls across the county, including in Little Wekiva, Altamonte Springs, Winter Springs and Lake Harney.

Personnel evacuated over 65 people from the Hacienda Village area in Winter Springs and 18 people from Spring Oaks in Altamonte Springs alone, he said. Kinley cautioned residents to stay inside, as the fire department has seen people trapped by fallen trees.

“This will be a slow and steady recovery from this event,” Kinley said. “Please continue to be patient, be smart with your actions and stay safe.”

Caroline Catherman of the Sentinel staff contributed.