ASTOR, Fla. – Lake County closed several boat ramps on Monday before Hurricane Milton’s arrival in an area prone to flooding.
The Lake George Boat Ramp, Pearl Street Boat Ramp, and the Butler Street Boat Ramp in Astor closed as of 5 a.m. Monday morning.
Not only is the county preparing for flooding in Astor, but so are its residents.
[RELATED: Track Milton: Cone, models, more | COUNTY-BY-COUNTY: Central Fla. impacts | Why Milton is forecast to drop below Category 5 intensity | Sandbag locations | School, university closures | Milton’s rare path | Milton’s ‘dirty side’ is different | Download the FREE News 6 hurricane app]
Pam Russo lives in Astor and said she’s already planning for her neighborhood to flood due to Hurricane Milton.
“It’s already high,” said Russo. “It’s up to my seawall before it gets here, it’ll probably be over my seawall already.”
Russo spent her Monday securing things outside of her home and bringing things inside. She also said she’ll move her cars to areas that don’t flood so she can access them later in the week.
“I have a little boat I go back and forth with and then I’ll get this car out here and put it outside the flood stage but yeah pretty much just getting ready,” Russo said.
Russo told News 6, she does anticipate needing to use her boat to get to her car.
Other people in Astor also picked up sandbags on Monday. “I’m high and dry where I am at for my lot,” said Astor resident, Dan Weier. “The past flooding hasn’t gotten to me. It came up pretty close, and did a little damage to the sea wall, but the threat of flood is possible.”
For a county-by-county list of sandbag locations, click here.