SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — Hurricane Debby is behind us, but the challenge for some Sarasota County residents is just beginning as the Myakka River rises.
Jason Collins lives just north of I-75 near Venice, just steps from the river.
“You can fish from the balcony,” he said.
Right now he is going to make his house an island.
According to Sarasota County government, the Myakka River, which is swollen due to Debby’s rains, will be in the domain you see on the map below for the next few days as all the water heads downstream.
The county has opened a shelter and sandbag and is encouraging citizens near the river to prepare.
The sandbag site is at the Sarasota County Southern Fleet in Venice (4531 Annex Road) and will only be open Thursday, Aug. 8 from nine a. m. to 6 p. m.
A temporary evacuation center is available for any citizen moving from risk areas along the Myakka River:
Fortunately, many neighbors along the Myakka River take some delight in the river’s flooding, just as they take joy in similar situations after Hurricane Ian. They don’t think the flooding will be as bad this time.
However, some like Collins didn’t live along the river in Ian’s time, so they don’t know what to expect in the coming days.
“You take it as it comes, and you know, you’re just informed, you’re attentive to the news, to the weather, to everything that’s going on, you’re attentive to the water level, and when the time comes to go, you go. “,” he said.
For now, the only thing you can do is prepare.
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