Debby The storm arrived on Monday as a category one hurricane in the Big Bend region of Florida, specifically in Steinhatchee, a community of about 1,000 inhabitants where the natural phenomenon hit with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour. Meteorologists have warned of the danger of Debbydespite having weakened to a tropical storm in the morning, brought heavy rains, major flooding and potentially deadly storm surges in Florida, but which will soon spread to states such as South Carolina and Georgia. As of midday on Monday, the cyclone had already caused the deaths of four people, including two children.
Debbywhich is the fourth storm and second hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, after Beryl hit Texas a month ago, it has already begun to create chaos and mobilize efforts. The site PowerOutage.us The storm reported that about 300,000 customers were without power in Florida and Georgia as of midday Monday. In Marion County, authorities reported downed power lines and collapsed trees in the middle of roads and homes. Forecasters are reporting life-threatening storm surges of 6 to 10 feet above sea level, and airports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale are reporting dozens of flight cancellations and delays.
The first deaths caused by the storm were recorded this Sunday, before Debby make landfall as a hurricane. East of Steinhatchee, where the storm made landfall in the U.S., a 38-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy died late Sunday in a car crash after the driver lost control of her car on a wet road. Hours later, early Monday morning, a truck driver also lost control of his vehicle and died near Tampa. And a 13-year-old boy died this morning after a tree fell on a mobile home southwest of Gainesville, in the town of Fanning Springs.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that Debby The hurricane poses a “serious threat of flooding across the southeastern United States.” Although its maximum sustained winds have decreased to about 75 miles per hour since landfall and are expected to weaken further, NHC also warned that “potentially historic” rainfall could occur in southeastern Georgia and South Carolina, where the hurricane is moving slowly at about 10 miles per hour. Record rainfall of up to 30 inches is expected in that territory and will extend through Friday morning.
Particularly severe flooding is expected in Savannah, Georgia, Hilton Head and Charleston, South Carolina. Tornado warnings are also in effect in central and northern Florida and southern Georgia. The National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Florida, has stressed that river levels may rise and cause damage in the aftermath of the hurricane.
Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 61 of Florida’s 67 counties, saying at a news conference that “state agencies are prepared to respond quickly and efficiently. The Florida National Guard and Florida State Guard are activated to support humanitarian assistance and search and rescue missions,” he said.
Evacuation orders have also been issued in coastal areas, shelters have been set up for those who need them, and the National Guard has activated 3,000 troops. “We are facing a significant event. Projections indicate that we could see historic rainfall, with a potentially devastating impact on low-lying and coastal communities,” DeSantis said.
