SARASOTA, Fla. - Torrential rain in Manatee and Sarasota counties has resulted in flooded roads, a tornando and an overflowing river.
11 inches of rain fell in Manatee County; 15 inches in Sarasota County.
Two special needs students and two adults were rescued from a school bus Monday morning after it veered off East Venice Avenue due to flooding.
Several roads in Venice were closed after five inches of rain in two days resulted in flash flooding.
“It’s pretty bad on Sago Lane,” said Terry Fontanyi while loading sandbags into his vehicle for his neighbors..
Fontanyl bought $85 worth of sandbags "to keep the house from getting flooded inside hold the water back."
He plans to keep them after the water recedes.
Yes ma'mm, never know hurricane season is still in," he said.
Major flood stage
The Myakka River is expected to reach major flood stage by 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Heavy rainfall has caused the river to overflow into a neighborhood along South Moon Drive.
“It’s rising fast as fast as we’ve ever seen it maybe," said Steve Roberts, who has lived in the area for 21 years. "It’s coming quickly yesterday an inch an hour. The water rose to 52 inches where we’re standing on 03….boated right over this fence."
The river might not crest as high, but it'll come close enough, Roberts said.
“Everyone out here seen it all before," he said. "Put it in perspective, we’re not in Houston. We'll get wet eventually even at the speed it’s rising no one here will lose anything."
The flooding is part of the trade off with living amongst nature.
“It’s not dense population or housing," he said. "We have a lot of wildlife go for a walk in the morning see deer, wild turkey, a fox. Then there’s the occasional flooding it’s like a mortgage payment that comes due occasionally, unpredictably.”
