Osceola County officials expect historic levels of flooding to worsen in the area this weekend as spillover from rivers and lakes flows into the county.
Flooding is expected to peak between October 7 and October 12, according to county officials and the South Florida Water Management District. According to SFWMD, field crews are installing pumps across key areas in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes to reduce flooding impacts to communities by keeping the water moving through the system.
“Our crews are closely monitoring water levels within the interconnected system of lake and will continue to deploy resources and utilize every structure possible to lower water body levels and move water away from communities,” reads a statement from SFWMD.
The city of St. Cloud is currently going door-to-door and issuing reverse 9-1-1 calls to all residents who may be impacted.
“In general, the areas that may be impacted are up to either 4th or 5th streets, depending on the street,” reads a statement from the city of St. Cloud. Multiple roads across the city are currently closed due to flooding, including parts of Commerce Center Drive, Blackberry Drive, Old Canoe Creek, Paquin Drive, Augusta Circle, Macon Way, Memphis Place, and Flagler Court, among others.
According to the county, residents will be notified if they are located within flood-prone areas in the coming days through the county’s mass notification system. Those residents are asked to prepare their homes for possible rising water levels and to consider moving to a safe location.