The weather may be about as perfect as it can be right now, but the disaster caused by Hurricane Ian is getting worse around Osceola County.
Specifically, rising flood waters are creating the need for more water rescues.
After Osceola County's policy board declared a mandatory evacuation for Good Samaritan Village due to the rising Shingle Creek, a new voluntarily evacuation was announced for Shingle Creek Reserve at the Oaks. Call 911 to be rescued, and drive slow through passable flood waters, as wake pushes water into homes.
And, despite sunny, dry conditions, waters won't crest until Wednesday. East Lake Toho water levels could rise another two feet.
"Places that have never experienced flooding are now experiencing flooding. As a native Osceola resident, I've never seen flooding like this, and never seen the creeks as high as they are today," said County Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington, who noted he required rescue from his home near The Oaks this morning. "If you are near the bodies of water, please, please look to evacuate."
The Kissimmee Civic Center is the Ocseola County shelter and recovery center.
Sandbag operations will resume today (Saturday) at Osceola Heritage Park and the St. Cloud Civic Center at 2 p.m. Over 300,000 bags were given out at the beginning of the week.
The U.S. Corps of Engineers will be arriving to help with pumping flood waters in hardest Crisis Cleanup , launching a feeding center.
Monetary donations to OsceolaRedi.org/donate. Donations will remain in the community and be used for specific recovery items needed for those affected.
1,600 residents are still without of power.
STAY OFF FLOODED ROADS. Here's a link to a list of closed roads and other flooding issues in the county.
