RIDGE MANOR, Fla. — Flooding along the Withlacoochee River continues to rise at near-record levels in some areas.
While the water has crested in some places, Hernando County Emergency Management said that water is still spreading and pushing into new areas. They said lakes and retention ponds are also on the rise.
Emergency Management officials warned ahead of Hurricane Milton that significant flooding was expected, but at Tuesday’s commissioners meeting they acknowledged that the water rushed in fasted and higher than anyone expected.
“[The river] didn’t react anything like it has in the past. There is water now where it has never been before,” County Administrator Jeff Rogers said.
Emergency Management and commissioners described this as a worst-case scenario.
“It’s unprecedented,” Hernando County Emergency Management Director David DeCarlo said. “These areas haven’t seen this level of flooding since the ‘30s.”
“This is what we prepare for, the 100-year storm, but obviously we’re not prepared in some of these areas,” Commissioner Steve Champion said.
County Commissioners say they are looking into how it got to this point.
“Water flows from the south to the north so the real question after all this is over is going to be studying Pasco County and northern Hillsborough County that’s pushing this water into the Withlacoochee,” Commissioner John Allocco said.
“Is there any way to get FEMA or DOT involved? Is there any way to prevent this from happening again?” Commissioner Champion said.
Meanwhile, those within flooded communities are still working to process the unfortunate reality of the situation.
Glen Campbell has lived in Ridge Manor for two decades and fears this flooding will change his community forever.
“My wife and I have talked about that, how many people will move out, how many people will put up with this," he said. "Because it’s a lot to swallow, it’s your life savings, right? It just breaks my heart.”
However, for Tonito Herring, whose house is sitting within several feet of water tonight, it’s impossible to think of calling anywhere but her Ridge Manor residence “home.”
“I’ve been there 38 years,” Herring said through tears. “Too many memories, it’s not easy.”
At Tuesday’s County Commissioner meeting they approved extending the state of Emergency from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and said they expect to continue to do so on a weekly basis as long as it’s necessary.