Debby bringing ‘catastrophic’ flooding to Southeast

Forecasters are warning that Tropical Storm Debby could bring “catastrophic flooding” to the Southeast this week after the storm ripped through Florida on Monday.

The storm made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in the Florida Big Bend at about 7 a.m. on Monday, reaching maximum winds of about 80 mph. The storm brought severe flooding and high winds to the state, where Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) declared a state of emergency in 61 counties.

It downgraded to a tropical storm by 11 a.m., according to the governor’s office. The storm is now slated to move across Georgia and South Carolina in the coming days.

“Potentially historic heavy rainfall across southeast Georgia and the coastal plain of South Carolina through Saturday morning will likely result in areas of catastrophic flooding,” the National Hurricane Center said in its forecast.

“Heavy rainfall will likely result in considerable flooding impacts from portions of central and northern Florida and across portions of central and northeast North Carolina through Saturday morning,” the forecast said.

The forecasters also noted that hazards remain in areas where the storm has already passed, including downed power lines and flooded areas. According to poweroutage.us, more than 162,000 customers are without power in Florida as of Monday evening. More than 27,000 customers reported power outages in Georgia.

CNN reported that at least four people have died from the storm in Florida, including a 13-year-old boy who was killed after a tree fell onto his home in Levy County.

“As Tropical Storm Debby passes, stay safe and avoid driving if you are in an impacted area. Beware of hazards like flood water, downed trees, and power lines. If you see standing water in the road, turn around,” DeSantis wrote in a statement on the social platform X.