Sunday updates on Ian: FPL says Flagler, Volusia county power should be 95% restored by Tuesday
The Daytona Beach News-Journal has made this article free of charge for all readers in the interest of public safety. Consider supporting the News-Journal with a digital subscription.
Hurricane Ian brought widespread flooding, damaging winds and unprecedented rainfall to Volusia County and beyond. The News-Journal will post updates here on Sunday, so check back for the latest from East Central Florida.
Live updates on your phone: Sign up to a special texting group for updates on Hurricane Ian and its aftermath
Destruction and desperation: See Hurricane Ian damage city by city across Florida
Ian's aftermath: Storms keep shortening Daytona Beach Shores' iconic Sunglow Pier
6:38 p.m. | Large hole in A1A causes detour in Flagler Beach
A large hole in the southbound lane of A1A in Flagler Beach closed parts of the road south of State Road 100 Sunday.
The hole, located just south of South 14th Street, was apparently caused by a washout from Tropical Storm Ian.
Traffic is being detoured farther north.
The damage is located in the section of A1A that was rebuilt after Hurricane Matthew in 2016 tore huge chunks from the scenic highway.
— Frank Fernandez
5:33 p.m. | Bunnell residents asked to continue limiting water usage
Residents in Bunnell are asked to restrict their water usage so they don’t overwhelm the wastewater treatment plant. City officials hope to end limited usage by Monday.
“When you flush, shower, run the sink, do laundry or use the dishwasher, you make wastewater,” the city explained in a Facebook post. “If it goes down a drain, it is wastewater.”
If the plant becomes overwhelmed and can’t process wastewater from both the weather and human usage, it could cause a sewer back up on the streets, or worse, homes and businesses.
"If customers keep limiting what they are sending to the plant by not engaging in the activities that create large amounts of wastewater like laundry, baths and long showers, the city can most likely release the advisory tomorrow for both residents and businesses," the post said. "This includes Bunnell Elementary School and the private school located in the city limits being able to resume normal operations without needing to plan for alternative bathroom measures."
5:19 p.m. | Sandbags, lunch available for Osteen residents affected by flooding
Volusia County Government is currently providing free, pre-filled sandbags at the Osteen Civic Center, 165 New Smyrna Blvd., for Osteen residents who were affected by St. Johns River flooding. Residents should be prepared to load the bags.
The Salvation Army will serve box lunches at the civic center at noon Monday for those residents affected by the flood, the county said in a release. Tables and chairs will be set up in the building so people can eat in air conditioning.
4 p.m. | Update on food services, SNAP benefits
The federal government approved the Florida Department of Children and Families to issue the mass replacement of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits for those households that did not receive the early release of benefits on Sept. 27, according to a statement from Volusia County.
DCF will automatically upload the benefit to EBT cards on Monday. Individuals do not need to visit a DCF office to apply in person.
Additionally, The Bridge is providing hot lunch and dinner at 421 S. Palmetto Ave., DeLand, to anyone in the community. The center will serve lunch at noon and dinner at 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner is available at 5 p.m. today.
3:33 p.m. | Volusia County Sheriff's administrative offices closed Monday
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office non-mission-critical and administrative offices will remain closed Monday so the department can continue focusing on storm recovery, according to a department Facebook post. The offices will open for regular business Tuesday.
3:28 p.m. | Volusia County Library update
The DeLand Regional Library has regained power and will reopen Monday morning, Volusia County officials announced in a press release Sunday. All library branches will be open Monday except Daytona Beach Regional Library and the John Dickerson Heritage Library in Daytona Beach.
3:10 p.m. | St. Johns River is a no-wake zone
Because of extreme flooding, the entire St. Johns River is a no-wake zone, Volusia County officials announced in a release Sunday. Any wake at all could send water into homes. Law enforcement has a strong presence along the river and is monitoring conditions.
Officials urge boaters to be considerate of their friends and neighbors.
Additionally, all county-maintained boat ramps are closed until further notice.
2:42 p.m. | FEMA: File flood insurance claims now to help jumpstart recovery
Anyone affected by Hurricane Ian who has a flood insurance policy through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program should begin filing their claim now, even if they haven’t returned home yet, the agency announced in a press release Sunday.
Policyholders who evacuated can start the flood insurance claims process even if they only suspect flood damage. They can provide specifics concerning the damage later, once local officials say it is safe to return to their property.
Policyholders should contact their insurance agents or companies to file a claim. Information about filing a claim, documenting damage, working with a flood insurance adjuster, making repairs and understanding claim payments is available on FEMA.gov.
Anyone who doesn’t know who their insurance agent or company is may call 877-336-2627.
Policyholders should be sure to ask their insurance company about advance payments to receive up to $20,000 to jumpstart recovery.
Those who have damage from both wind and flood will need to file two separate claims: a homeowner’s insurance claim for wind damage and a flood insurance claim.
Before beginning repairs to your flooded home, be sure to check with local officials about applicable building codes and floodplain management requirements.
Anyone whose flood insurance policy recently expired should ask their agent if they are still within a renewal grace period. They may be able to renew and have their Ian losses covered.
Learn more about starting a flood insurance claim at FEMA.gov by calling 877-336-2627 or on the FEMA App.
For information for Hurricane Ian survivors, or to apply for federal assistance, visit FEMA’s Hurricane Ian webpage.
2:19 p.m. | FPL estimates power restoration to 95% of local homes by Tuesday
Florida Power & Light estimates that it will restore power to 95% of Flagler and Volusia county households by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, according to its outage map, which was updated at 2 p.m. Sunday.
FPL serves 66,910 customers in Flagler; 4,010 are still without power.
The company serves 191,950 customers in Volusia County; 47,870 are still without power.
1:44 p.m. | Garbage, yard, debris removal in Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach has contracted with a private company for storm-related debris removal, according to the city’s website. Collection begins Monday, Oct. 10.
Vegetative debris will be collected first, followed by construction and demolition debris, and then appliances.
Residents must sort debris into three separate piles for vegetative debris (leaves, branches and cut trees); construction and demolition debris (building materials, carpet, furniture, fences, drywall, etc.); and appliances (refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, stoves). Leaves and limbs should be loose – not bagged or in containers.
Piles not appropriately separated cannot be picked up. Electronics and household hazardous waste will not be collected. Those items can be disposed at the Tomoka Landfill free of charge.
Residents should bring storm debris to the public right of way, the area that extends from the street to the sidewalk, ditch, utility pole or easement. Residents should not place debris in the road; this obstructs traffic, hinders cleanup and makes it difficult for emergency vehicles to pass, the website said. Keep debris away from drainage ditches, inlets, mailboxes and power lines. Do not cover storm drains and never block fire hydrants.
Standard trash pickup will continue as scheduled beginning Monday, Oct. 3. Regular bagged yard waste will be collected on Wednesday. Storm debris should not be placed with household garbage.
12:58 p.m. | Latest information on Volusia parks, preserves
All county-operated coastal and inlet parks are closed until further notice.
The following conservation lands in Volusia County are closed:
Deep Creek Preserve.
Deering Preserve at Deep Creek.
Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve.
Gemini Springs Conservation Area.
Hickory Bluff Preserve.
These conservation lands are open:
Lyonia Preserve.
Scrub Oak Preserve.
Wiregrass Prairie Preserve.
Lake George Forest and Wildlife Management Area (open with restrictions).
Longleaf Pine Preserve (open with restrictions).
Additionally, SunRail will resume service Tuesday, Oct. 4.
The Citizens Information Center is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. to answer questions and provide information. Residents can call 866-345-0345.
12:35 p.m. | Need assistance with your FEMA application? Volusia County Library can help
The following library branches will be open from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday:
Ormond Beach Regional Library.
New Smyrna Beach Regional Library.
Port Orange Regional Library.
Deltona Regional Library.
Staff will be available to assist residents with FEMA applications.
With the exception of DeLand Regional Library, Daytona Beach Regional Library and John Dickerson Heritage Library, all branches will be open during normal hours beginning Monday.
12:25 p.m. | Food resources in Volusia County
The Bridge Center is providing hot meals (lunch and dinner) at 421 S. Palmetto Ave., DeLand, to anyone in the community.
The pantry at The Neighborhood Center, 434 S. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, will be open to anyone in need from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to noon Friday.
The Daytona Dream Center will host a free community food drop for Volusia County residents at 11 a.m. Monday at Calvary Christian Center, 1687 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach. The organization will receive a semi-truck full of food that will be able to serve about 300 families. Volunteers are needed and are asked to arrive at 9:30 a.m. For information contact Tanysha Hartsgrove at tanysha@daytonadreamcenter.org.
10:52 a.m. | 5 deaths reported so far in Volusia
The Florida Medical Examiners Commission is attributing 44 deaths so far to Hurricane Ian, including five in Volusia County.
Florida district medical examiners report hurricane deaths to the Medical Examiners Commission following autopsies after confirming the death is storm-related, according to a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which staffs the MEC.
The Volusia County deaths include:
Male, 91, found drowned, Sept. 29.
Male, 79, found drowned, Sept. 29
Female, 68, drowned after a wave swept her into the ocean, Sept. 29.
Male, 67, found drowned, Sept. 30.
Lee County, which includes Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach and Cape Coral, where Ian landed as a Category 4 hurricane, has reported 30 deaths so far.
Other deaths include:
Lake County: 1.
Sarasota: 3.
Manatee: 1.
Collier: 3.
Hendry: 1.
9:47 a.m. | Palm Coast facility and parks update
The City of Palm Coast conducted damage assessment and debris removal at several parks on Saturday following Tropical Storm Ian.
The following parks and trails have been cleared of debris, evaluated for safety, and are now open:
Belle Terre Park.
Central Park.
Community Center Park.
James F. Holland Memorial Park.
Linear Park.
Long Creek.
Ralph Carter Park.
Seminole Woods Neighborhood Park.
Waterfront Park.
Restrooms may remain locked until Monday, so please plan accordingly.
The following facilities remain closed:
Palm Coast Aquatics Center: A pump was damaged during the storm and parts are on order to repair it.
Palm Coast Community Center: Will re-open to the public and programs will resume on Monday.
Palm Coast Tennis Center: Power is still out at the facility.
Palm Harbor Golf Club: The greens are still very wet with trees down and a lot of debris on the course. The Green Lion Café is open.
Indian Trails Sports Complex: Fields are still wet, but parks staff continues to monitor the conditions.
An update will be distributed as soon as facilities are able to re-open.
At this time, Palm Coast City Hall and the Utility Office at 2 Utility Drive will be open for regular business on Monday.
Tropical Storm Ian in Volusia: Residents dry out homes and belongings as cleanup continues after Ian
'Like the Titanic': Man dies in home near NSB after falling and drowning in Tropical Storm Ian's flood waters
9:28 a.m. | Volusia County courts to reopen Thursday
Courts in Volusia County will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday due to Hurricane Ian. Courts in Flagler, St. Johns and Putnam counties will reopen on Monday. But all courts in Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns and Putnam counties will be closed on Wednesday for Yom Kippur. The courts have been closed since Wednesday, except for first appearance, due to Hurricane Ian. If you have jury summons in Flagler, St. Johns or Putnam, you must report to court.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Ian Sunday updates: 5 Volusia deaths attributed to storm so far
