SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla — Several roads in Sarasota County are shut down due to flooding after substantial rainfall on Tuesday, with heavy downpours and showers continuing on Wednesday.
Overnight Wednesday, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said several roads are blocked off with barricades after floodwaters gathered in the area. In at least one instance, a sidewalk and retaining wall are damaged from the weather.
The roads will stay closed "until conditions improve or repairs are made," the agency said.
The following roads are closed:
- 17th Street between Euclid Avenue and Mango Avenue due to flooding; barricades in place
- Tuttle Avenue between Tanglewood Drive and Valencia Drive due to sidewalk and retaining wall collapse
- Beach Road near Siesta Beach is flooded; a road underwater sign is in place
Drivers are encouraged to avoid the areas.
The sheriff's office said they received calls about multiple cars stranded on flooded streets Tuesday night. As of Wednesday morning, some vehicles will remain stuck until the waters recede and will be towed later.
Flood watch in effect
A flood watch is in effect through 8 p.m. Thursday for the following counties: Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto and Hardee.
The National Weather Service says areal flooding is possible where the rain is heaviest, specifically in areas still saturated from Tuesday's downpours. Three-day rainfall totals could exceed 10 inches in parts of Southwest Florida.
Substantial rainfall in Sarasota County
An NWS station in Siesta Key reported close to a foot of rain over the last 24 hours, the agency said. Many other locations recorded more than 5 inches of rainfall in that time.
Over the next day, upwards of 2-3 inches of rain are possible in the region on Wednesday, the NWS said.