First responders in Seminole County, Florida, on Saturday were going door-to-door to help evacuate families as historic floodwaters continued to rise around their homes in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
In the small community of Geneva, firefighters and national guardsmen waded through waist-level water to rescue families and pets along Whitcomb Road.
Among the rescued were seven family members, including a baby, three dogs and two cats, the Seminole County Fire Department said.
Seminole County deputies also used air boats to help evacuate families stuck inside their homes along nearby Lake Harney. Authorities said boats are “the only reliable way” in or out of the hardest-hit neighborhoods.
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“Right now what we’re going to focus on for the next couple of days is focusing on getting the people out and that the people are safe,” Lt. Bobby Smith said in a video posted to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office’s social media pages.
The area around Lake Harney was inundated with water after the Saint Johns River rose above historic flood levels, officials said.
Some residents who had planned on waiting out the storm were now calling for help after floodwater from the overflowing Saint Johns River began to enter their homes, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Vik,” a Geneva resident, said that he’s never seen flooding like this and now has water inside his house. He recalled waking up around 6:30 a.m. and telling his wife that “we’re in trouble.”
The sheriff’s office said that the water in the area was not expected to reach its peak until at least Sunday.
“All of that water from the last three or four days of rain is now finding its way out eventually to the Saint Johns River, which eventually leads into Lake Harney and then on into Mullet Lake and Lake Monroe,” Smith said. “As a result, all that water not having anywhere to go, they’re seeing historic flooding.”
