SARASOTA, Fla. — As some communities begin to recover, there are concerns that some rivers could continue to rise after Hurricane Debby brought heavy rainfall and storm surge. Many roads are still impassable and cars remain submerged in water. Some drivers who tried to get through had to reverse after seeing how deep the water was on Mcintosh Road in the Sarasota Springs neighborhood.
Florida Fish and Wildlife said it has helped 100 people escape floods in Manatee and Sarasota counties. Some people have been able to get back to their homes to begin assessing the damage.
A request for a Federal FEMA Disaster Declaration has been made to Washington as Gov. DeSantis toured hard-hit areas in Sarasota and Manatee counties. DeSantis made a stop at one restaurant in the area that had taken in a lot of water. He said the state has set up no-interest business loans for those impacted. In addition, about 100 National Guard members are assisting with hurricane cleanup.
DeSantis says they have set up at the Myakka Community Center with tarps, water, bleach and food. He said the Hope Florida bus and representatives from Citizen's Insurance will be onsite Thursday.
Several families are also recovering in the Pinecraft neighborhood which is one of the hardest hit areas in Sarasota. People are going through their homes and dumping out or salvaging belongings. On several lawns, you could see mattresses, refrigerators, couches and other household items. Homeowners have also started some demolition work to prevent molding.
Many neighbors said they're just trying to get through the cleanup process first before tackling the rebuilding process.
"This is everything that was in my house. All of our vehicles, I don't know what to do with them. I just heard maybe dry them out and possibly they'll work," Nathalie Barr said.
Barr said six vehicles their family owned were all flooded and are now unable to start.
"There's water everywhere is starting so we're taking it down to the studs," she added.
During the storm, around 16 inches of rain dumped on the Sarasota-Manatee area and forced authorities to open the Lake Manatee dam to release water and prevent a breach that could lead to a wider public safety event.
"Everything that was in here is on the road. We're just bringing it down because all the studs are soaking wet. I'm going to need new cabinets and drywall. I don't really have that money right now. I just got a new job I haven't even started it so we'll see," Barr said.
A team from the Red Cross has arrived to conduct an initial assessment to begin the process of assisting the neighbors with recovery efforts.
"It's a lot of flooding and it's going to be quite a recovery process for our community. Definitely being here to help them start planning on what the next steps are," Samantha Samples with the American Red Cross of Southwest Florida said.
They would be mobilizing cleaning supplies, volunteers and even donations to help mitigate further issues
"Especially being in Florida with mold that tends to be a long-term thing if they don't get the cleaning supplies they need," Samples
Some said the biggest need right now is for construction workers to help them with the homes, mechanics to help with the cars, and even laundry service to help with clothing and linen items.
The situation is a lot to process for neighbors like Barr who have said they would take things one day at a time and hold on to their faith along the unfamiliar journey.
"I'm being emotional on and off, but at the end of the day things are things and the Lord will rebuild," Barr said.
As neighbors worked throughout the day, a weary disposition enveloped the community as some people said they had not had proper rest or food in days.
However, in a promising sign of community banding together, one local restaurant has offered to provide free takeout to folks who have been impacted by the storm, including first responders and volunteers who are helping out.
Yoder's Amish Village Restaurant started giving out the free food at 11 a.m. Wednesday much to the delight of some families.
"So nice, just the thought of going home and eating a hot nice meal and taking a shower is a huge comfort and it's really nice and then I can refuel and I can go and help the others that still need help," Erica Cohen said.
"We have got meatloaf and fried chicken and pies. Were known for pies. We know that it's not a lot but it's a little bit of comfort during a difficult time," Shannon Emrich, manager of Yoder's Amish Village Restaurant, said.
The restaurant is hoping to continue this through the weekend up until 7 p.m.
In the meantime, some residents in the area are bracing for more water as the Myakka River is expected to rise starting from Thursday and through the weekend.
Some residents could see up to 2 feet of flooding by Saturday. Sandbag distribution centers have been set up at the Mullen Activity Center in North Port and Sarasota County Fleet South in Venice.