Florida Residents Warned to ‘Leave’ Now Amid Quickly Rising Waters

Residents in Pasco County, Florida, are being warned to evacuate as the county experiences historic flooding brought by Hurricane Milton.
The county on Thursday issued a voluntary evacuation order for any residents in “low-lying areas or areas prone to flooding” as the Sunshine State recovers from Milton’s impact, which hit the state less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene ripped through the Southeast.
“Pasco County is experiencing historical flooding in low-lying areas and in several neighborhoods around the county near our rivers and lakes,” the county wrote Friday in an alert post to its social media accounts. “Water is quickly rising in these areas, and we encourage you to LEAVE and get to higher ground NOW.”
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The alert continued: “If you must travel around the county, be aware that dozens of flooded roads are closed, and you will have to navigate safely around them. Do NOT drive through floodwaters.”
The county listed three neighborhoods under the voluntary evacuation order: Elfers, Cypress Creek at Worthington Gardens and Thousand Oaks.
Newsweek reached out to Pasco County via email for additional comment on Friday.
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Pasco County is located just north of Tampa and under 100 miles north of Siesta Key where Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night.
The National Weather Service (NWS) had flood warnings in place for several waterways in central and southern Florida on Friday. In Pasco County, warnings were issued for the Withlacoochee River, Cypress Creek and the Anclote River through Saturday evening until further notice.
The NWS also has flood warnings issued for residents living near the Alafia River, Anclote River, the Hillsborough River, the Little Manatee River, the Myakka River, the Peace River and Horse Creek until Saturday evening. Counties impacted by the warnings include Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Levy, Manatee, Sarasota, Sumter and Polk.
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Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister shared a video to his account on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday of county deputies rescuing a 91-year-old woman who was stranded in her home near the town of Lithia due to flooding from the Alafia River.
“Residents are currently facing over 6 feet of flooding, and our deputies are working hard to ensure everyone’s safety,” Chronister wrote in the post.
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ office said in a release on Friday that nearly 1,200 people and 140 animals have been rescued by the state’s Urban Search and Rescue Teams and the Florida National Guard since Milton made landfall.
In Clearwater, 426 people and 45 pets were rescued from an apartment complex by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and partner agencies due to flood waters. Hillsborough County officers have rescued and evacuated 147 people, the governor’s office reported.
According to the Associated Press, at least eight people have died in connection to Milton’s impacts. Hurricane Helene, which hit Florida’s Big Bend region in late September, has killed over 230 people, with many people remaining unaccounted for.
Update 10/11/24, 6:17 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.