NORTH PORT, Fla. — On Wednesday, The City of North Port said areas outside of North Port had experienced some significant impacts like flooding from Hurricane Idalia.
City officials asked drivers to stay off the roads and to never drive through standing water.
People who live just five miles outside the City of North Port like Frona Fileccia said storm surge forced them to evacuate their homes before Idalia ever made landfall.
“We did everything we could to keep the water out but then it just kept coming and coming so we decided we better leave,” said Fileccia.
Fileccia lives off Myakka Drive in Venice and told Fox 4 that standing water will keep them from reaching their home for the next few days.
“We won’t try to go back in today we are staying with friends over in Englewood they have a high-rise apartment,” said Fileccia.
Inside North Port city limits areas that are historically prone to flooding like North Port estates were relatively dry.
Erika Scott who lives in that area said Hurricane Ian was a different story compared to Idalia.
“We had about more than four feet of water out on the road,” said Scott when describing the conditions from Hurricane Ian.
Scott told Fox 4 it’s because the City of North Port lowered canal levels before the storm that her property is only seeing these few pockets of standing water.
Regardless, at 88 years old and living by herself– Scott said she was prepared for whatever Idalia brought with her.
“Because I'm by myself I had my car filled with gas and I had a 10 gallon of gas for my generator,” said Scott.
Preparations that never had to be used.
“I'm happy this time it didn't hit us,” said Scott.
At 3:27 PM on Wednesday, the City of North Port said:
"City crews performed an initial check of typical problem areas after Hurricane Idalia passed through our area, and North Port roadways have been clear from flooding and debris. Officials continue to monitor water levels and any possible tidal impacts still to come."
