JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Mayor Alvin Brown is urging residents to stay out of floodwaters.
"Driving through floodwaters can be hazardous to your safety," said Mayor Brown in an afternoon news conference.
The mayor also stressed the threat of isolated tornadoes and continued flooding remains.
Action News Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh says the worst is yet to come.
The Duval County Emergency Operations Center has been working at Level 2 since 10 a.m.
Teams are going neighborhood to neighborhood to asses the damage.
Mayor Brown says 11 homes have suffered minor damage, 1 home sustained major damage, and 1 home has been destroyed.
Up to 12 inches of rain has fallen in the Jacksonville area, causing about 60 road closures, many of which are listed below.
JEA is currently reporting 98 power outages, with a high of 2600 earlier today.
There are no emergency shelters set up right now, but Mayor Brown says if conditions change, the city will open shelters as needed.
Call 630-CITY to report damage to your home or business. You can also follow emergency operations through the city's website.
Mayor Brown says Jacksonville needs to keep the people in Lake City and Live Oak in our prayers, since they are going through major flooding.
Flood threats from Debby continue for Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. Due to the heavy amounts of rainfall, some roads are closed due to flooding. Officials with Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department say up to twelve inches of rain had fallen in the area, saturating the ground and causing about 60 road closures overall.
Jacksonville has the following road closures at this time:
· 1499 South Edgewood Avenue
· Imeson Road and Pritchard Road
· Stockton Street at McCoy’s Creek
· Pecan Park and Yankee Clipper
· Brandy Branch and Beaver Street
· Shindler Road and 103rd
· 2000 East Adams at the Shipyards
· Oak Street at South Edgewood Avenue
· North Lane Avenue, 300-500 Block
· King Street and McCoy Creek
· 3500 Block of Oak Street and S. Edgewater Road
· Old Kings Road North and Iowa Road
The EOC is urging residents to avoid driving or walking through standing water. Floodwater has the potential to contain contamination and dangerous wildlife, such as snakes and fire ants. Along with that, the current can be dangerous to drivers as it can potentially wash you car away. “It is very easy to walk outside and see that it is not raining,” said Fire Chief Marty Senterfitt. “However, residents need to be aware that the ground is already saturated and more rain is coming. So, be prepared.”
