Overflowing Florida River Could Remain Flooded Through Thanksgiving

Heavy Rains From Hurricane Ian Continue To Cause Inland Flooding As Florida Rivers Crest At Record Heights

Photo: Getty Images

As Florida continues the massive rebuilding efforts following the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian, at least one area is going to be dealing with the aftermath until at least Thanksgiving.

The Saint Johns River, which flows through several counties in Florida, remains several feet above flood levels and could stay that way for the foreseeable future.

"We're not sure that people understand fully that this river is not going to go down very quickly," Scott Kelly, a forecaster at the National Weather Service in Melbourne, told CNN. "And so, yes, it's crested in most places, but it's going to stay near or at that crest for many days, and we don't think people are prepared mentally for that."

Seminole County planning manager Steven Lerner told CNN that the 300-mile river flows extremely slowly and said the high water levels will creep north and could cause additional flooding.

"It's a very slow trickle process," Lerner said.

The continued flooding is hampering recovery efforts as more than 400 homes remain underwater and are currently inaccessible.

The flooding has also altered the landscape throughout the area, making it treacherous for boaters as they try to navigate the swollen river.

"When you throw another three or four feet of water on top of that, then all your markers and locations and the little trees and stuff that you look for, they're no longer there. It's even different to me," Curtis McKinney, owner of Camp Holly Airboat Rides, told WESH.


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