The Florida coastline near Tallahassee took the brunt of Category 1 Hurricane Hermine early Friday morning. The hurricane tore through the state, towards Georgia, in a northwestern trajectory. A swath of devastation is left in its wake and authorities are reporting at least one fatality caused by falling debris.
More than a quarter-million Floridians were left without power as the hurricane moved. Even as the hurricane was downgraded to a powerful tropical storm, authorities reiterated that it was still a dangerous weather system. Flood waters began to rage through cities, sometimes up to the top of vehicles. The National Weather Service described the rainfall as “life-threatening inundation” that would likely persist until the next morning. Governor Rick Scott used his Twitter account to tell residents to stay safely in their shelters until it was confirmed that the storm had passed before stepping out to survey damage.
Tallahassee is considered to be one of the cities that was most-devastated by Hurricane Hermine. Several reports of uprooted trees tearing through homes have come in and powerlines all around Leon County are down. Many roads are completely blocked by debris, so residents are further encouraged to stay put as long as everyone is safe.
Extensive road damage has also been reported throughout Alligator Point, roughly 50 miles south of Tallahassee. The massive amounts of water caused flooding in Pasco County, which experienced 20 inches of rain; 9 homes were leveled and close to 300 more were majorly damaged by the torrential downpour, and it is believed that up to $50 million in damages has been suffered there. Further north, up the west coast of Florida, Citrus County is reporting another $50 million or so in damages after it has been concluded that a staggering 1,881 structures were damaged.
If you would like further updates about Hurricane Hermine, now Tropical Storm Hermine, you can find weather reports and news flashes on NBC News and other major news network websites. If you have been able to safely inspect your property and have found it devastated by the storm – water intrusion damage, wind damage, crush damage from falling trees, shattered windows, etc. – you can turn to Diamond Law, P.A. for professional legal guidance backed by nearly 20 years of case experience. We are already accepting cases regarding Hurricane Hermine and would be willing to hear yours during a free case evaluation.