Mandatory evacuations issued for some in Tampa area
ELFERS, Fla. — A mandatory evacuation has been issued for flood-prone areas of Pasco County, Fla., after heavy rains over the weekend.
The Pasco County Emergency Office of Emergency Management Emergency Operations Center issued the evacuation for the Anclote River Estates area of Elfers as officials say the Anclote River is expected to exceed 24 feet Monday afternoon putting it at what is considered major flood stage. According to county officials the Anclote River was at 20.83 feet as of early Monday morning.
Elfers is about 32 miles northwest of Tampa.
Heavy rains are expected to continue to push onshore Monday, with only a few breaks expected from time to time.
A number of roads in Tampa, as well as Pasco, Pinellas and Manatee counties are closed because of flooding or standing water.
About three to six inches of rain is expected Monday with higher amounts locally.
Forecasters expect flooding to be a problem as the ground already is saturated from earlier storms.
A flood watch remains in effect until Monday at 4 p.m. for many in the Tampa Bay area.
Speaking Sunday, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said, "We have received record amounts of rainfall over the last two days. In the last 24 hours 155 million gallons of water have moved through our system which is stressed as much as our system can be stressed."
Buckhorn said residents' current storm water fees just aren't enough to pay for a permanent flood fix.
"The weather is changing and I'm not afraid to say that climate change is a factor in our environment so we need to acknowledge that," Buckhorn said. "Bear in mind we're dealing with 100-year-old pipes and so our ability to move that water from the surface out to the bay or the plant is limited by the size of the pipes, the size of the pumps, and the size of the retention ponds."
On Sunday, Tampa residents picked up sandbags to try to keep the water out of their homes.
"If it crests again I'll be completely flooded," said Pam Shelton, who was trying to protect her home from being flooded.
For Anna Latoudi, a flooded apartment was a first for her.
"I walked in and couldn't even walk in because water was so high. I'm devastated because that's never happened before," said Latoudi.
Cleaning crews worked around the clock to try to flush the water out of nearly 20 apartments in the Colonial Village Complex.
"The carpeting and everything needs to be changed," Latoudi said.
Latoudi has lived in the complex for 20 years and she said she had never seen flooding this bad.
Contributing: The Associated Press.