- December 26, 2024
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Flooding at Audubon Drive in Ormond Beach. Courtesy photo
Ormond Beach Commissioner Travis Sargent, Daytona Beach Commissioner Quanita May, Florida Power & Light CEO Armando Pimentel and State Sen. Tom Wright. Sargent and other officials met with Pimentel on Saturday, Oct. 12, at Daytona International Speedway to discuss FPL's progress in restoring power to thousands of Volusia County residents. Courtesy photo
The lake at Willow Pond 55+ Active Community Apartments overflowed onto Wilmette Avenue. Courtesy photo
Damage at Willow Pond 55+ Active Community Apartments on Wilmette Avenue. Wilmette flooded over from the lake at the complex. Courtesy photo
Part of the roof fell on a vehicle at a rental property on Palm Drive in Ormond Beach. Courtesy photo
Flooding at St. Johns Place and John Anderson Drive in Ormond-By-the-Sea. Courtesy photo
The lake at Willow Pond 55+ Active Community Apartments in Ormond Beach flooded over Wilmette Avenue. Courtesy photo
Prairieview Lane at Ormond Green was flooded. Courtesy photo.
Wilmette Avenue at Willow Pond 55+ Active Community Apartments. Wilmette flooded over from the lake at the complex. Trees were down next to one of the buildings. Courtesy photo
View from Ormond Beach Fire Department truck from Facebook post.
Ray Burks placed sandbags at his home on Calle Grande Street before he and his fiance, children and pets evacuated Wednesday morning, Oct. 10. Days of heavy rain flooded the low-lying area before Hurricane Milton reached landfall. Courtesy photo
Ray Burks' yard on Calle Grande Street was flooded before he and his family evacuated at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10. Courtesy photo
A fallen tree in the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail on a debris-covered Old Dixie Highway heading south toward Walter Boardman Lane. Courtesy photo
Standing water covers a road in Halifax Plantation. Courtesy photo
Flooding on Ormond Green Boulevard. Courtesy photo
Flooding on Ormond Green Boulevard. Courtesy photo
Tragedy hit home Thursday, Oct. 10, with two deaths reported in Ormond Beach that were related to Hurricane Milton.
Public Safety Information Officer Pauline Dulang said a tree came down on an elderly couple in their home in Ormond Beach. Crews transported them both to the ER, where the woman succumbed to internal bleeding from her injuries. Her husband was still in critical condition as of Thursday afternoon.
The second fatality involved a resident experiencing respiratory distress, Dulang said. First responders were unable to reach the person during the height of the storm due to extreme wind conditions, which made it unsafe for emergency response.
"Our hearts go out to the victims’ families, and we remain committed to doing everything we can to support our community through this difficult time," Dulang said.
The hurricane hit the East Coast of Florida early Thursday morning, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall and leaving thousands without electricity.
At a 4 p.m. press conference, Volusia County Emergency Management Director Clint Mecham said more than 125,000 Florida Power & Light customers in the county were still without power.
The National Weather Service reported as much as 15.6 inches of rain falling in areas of Volusia County during the storm. Sustained winds in the county reached 62 mph with highest reported gusts of 87 mph, Mecham said.
Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington said residents have experienced roof damage, flooded streets and downed trees.
"Our staff is working hard on all of that to get back to normal as quickly as possible," he said, adding that heavy rain has put a burden on the water and sewer systems.
"We're asking people to conserve water as much as possible for at least a day or maybe two. Try not to do laundry. Conserve as much as possible. Give time for the water to recede," he said.
Partington said an 8-inch water main broke, leaving residents on North Peninsula in the Ormond-By-The Sea area without water. He said crews were working early Thursday afternoon to get the water main fixed.
The city is working on recovery, Dulang said.
"Public Works is working diligently to clear the roads. (The police department and fire department) are conducting well-being checks and safety assessments with our high-water rescue vehicles, along with responding to emergency calls," Dulang said.
Local flooding, especially in low-lying areas, was a problem even before the storm barreled across the state Wednesday night.
Ray Burks shared photos of his flooded yard on Calle Grande Street from Wednesday morning before the storm hit following days of heavy rain.
"I am anxiously waiting to be able to see our home," he wrote in an email Thursday morning. "Myself, my fiance and my 3 babies along with the dog and cat evacuated around 11 a.m. (Wednesday) and this is what it looked like then, BEFORE the storm! I can only imagine what we will find."
A woman who lives in the Willow Pond 55+ Community said Thursday morning that Wilmont Avenue was flooded and they were without power.
"We kind of feel cut off from everything, but I'm sure a lot of folks are in the same situation," she said.
According to the city of Ormond Beach's Hurricane Milton site, power outages were widespread and several roads are obstructed and impassible due to flooding.
To access the site, go to Ormondbeach.org and click on Storm Updates.
Volusia County Fire Rescue and the Volusia Sheriff's Office urged residents to avoid non-essential travel.
“First responders and road crews have reported road washouts, standing water, trees, debris, downed power lines and other obstacles across our roads,” Mecham said. “They have been working throughout the day to clear these barriers and rescue those folks that were stranded through the high water. This is not the time to be on the roads unless absolutely necessary. Not only are you putting yourself at risk by traversing the roadways but you could also hinder access for our first responders seeking to assist your fellow residents or impede road and utility crews working to restore our infrastructure.
For those who must travel, the county is providing a real-time online road closure portal.
A curfew has been reestablished throughout the county beginning at 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, and ending at 5 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11.
Eastbound traffic on bridges to the beachside was halted at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday due to sustained wind force. The Granada Bridge reopened at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, according to an Ormond Beach Police Department social media post.
The Highbridge and Main Street draw bridges were reopened to boat traffic on Friday.
County officials are discouraging people from visiting the beach. The storm's effects will create extremely hazardous conditions along the coast, particularly during high tide, a county press release said.
Mecham asked residents to upload photos of their property damage to the Volusia County Emergency Management app or to the county's hurricane page at www.volusia.org, so the county can report it to appropriate state and local officials.
“This can potentially help us to obtain aid in our community quicker,” Mecham said.
County residents can also report damage or request clean-up or other assistance to the Citizens Information Center at 886-345-0345. The information center was scheduled to close at 7 p.m. Thursday and resume Friday with hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Votran and VoRide services will resume at 7 a.m. on Friday. Riders should visit www.votran.org or use the myStop mobile app for detailed route and service updates. For VoRide-specific inquiries, riders may call 386-210-9861 beginning at 8 a.m. Friday.
This story has been updated. Residents can send photos and local information to brent@observerlocal news.com.
