TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday declared a state of emergency for Sarasota County and several other counties in southern Florida due to flooding.
The state of emergency was declared for Sarasota, Broward, Collier, Lee, and Miami-Dade counties due to Invest 90L, which began moving across the state on Tuesday.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the rainfall and flooding has affected and may continue to impact the operational capability of critical infrastructure, including major interstates, state and county roadways, airports, schools, and other critical infrastructure throughout these counties,” the executive order reads.
Sarasota officials said they responded to about 80 calls for stranded vehicles on Tuesday evening. Several businesses also flooded. One neighborhood received eight inches of rain in a matter of three hours.
Sarasota also set a record Tuesday for the most rainfall in one hour.
A flood watch remains in effect for Manatee, Sarasota, Hardee, and DeSoto counties through Thursday evening.
The state of emergency is effective immediately and will remain in effect for 60 days unless it’s extended.
