ORANGE COUNTY. Fla. – Orange County officials are urging residents to prepare for Subtropical Storm Nicole on the eve of Election Day.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings held a briefing on Monday to update residents with the latest forecast and preparations for the storm. Demings said the storm is expected to bring four to six inches of rain to the area. He also said the storm is expected to be more of a wind event for the county rather than a rain event.
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Demings said most water levels in the county are at normal following flooding from Hurricane Ian, but said crews are pumping water from certain locations as a precaution.
”We have already began pumping down the water levels and that is happening as we speak. That does include places in the Orla Vista area such as Westside Manor and the Bonnie Brook area,” Demings said.
Denise George has lived in the Bonnie Brook home since the 1970′s. A month after Hurricane Ian, she is still busy cleaning up all the damage from the flood waters.
”Like everybody says, it was like an out-of-body experience. It’s like it’s only this room, no it’s this room. It’s that room. My garage got jammed up so everything in the garage was waving to the back and waving to the front and every time fire and rescue came, they created waves,” George said. “It’s scary. Especially when I have all my walls open in there, but hopefully we aren’t going to get as much rain.”
Following Demings announcement, George and HOA President Deborah Marley said they called the county office with several questions.
“What is the pumping. We are waiting to hear from them. What do they mean they are going to come in and do some pumping,” George said.
Marley said with four to six inches of rain expected from the storm, she’s hopeful residents are spared from anymore flooding.
”I’m just praying for these people who’ve lost so much stuff. Even just not here, but everywhere. We are hoping we don’t have to go through it again,” Marley said.
Jimmy Tadlock lives directly across the street from the Boonie Brook pumping station. His garage is still full of belongings after he said flood waters reached several feet inside his home during Hurricane Ian. He said he’s hoping Subtropical Storm Nicole doesn’t cause any more flooding to his street.
“As long as it’s not as much rain as it was then, because if the canals or the river is going to fill up, the pump stations will handle it,” Tadlock said.
Mayor Demings said any potential storm shelters would be announced on Tuesday.
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