DOWNTOWN PUNTA GORDA — Downtown Punta Gorda is still feeling the effects of Tropical Storm Debby, upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday, a day later - as road closed signs and cones were propped throughout the area, and many streets were still looking more like rivers than roads.
Cars were making big waves as they plowed through inches of standing water on West Marion Avenue. Mike Polk lives on Berry Street right off Marion, and said that sight made him wish streets like his would have been closed sooner.
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“Trabue, Chasteen, Berry, were all open - no cones, no barricades, nothing. So, people were coming in with raised trucks and driving up and down the streets, creating wake, and adding to the flooding issue,” Polk explained.
Thankfully, Polk said no water got into his house. But, unfortunately he said several of his neighbors weren’t so lucky.
David Stearns lives on Dolly Street and showed me a video he took around 11 on Sunday night - you could see water inches away from his doorstep. Despite that, Stearns said he actually wasn’t that worried.
“This is what happens every time it rains - a little storm happens, water builds up like this - it’s just something you get used to over time, you know,” said Stearns.
Charlotte County said all major roads in Punta Gorda are open, but drivers should be cautious when they drive through areas that still have water.
