(NewsNation) — Just hours after Debby made landfall near Steinhatchee on Monday as a Category 1 hurricane, the system weakened to a tropical storm as it moved through Florida’s Big Bend region, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As Debby moves northeast, it is expected to bring record flooding to parts of the Sunshine State and the Southeast coast. It made landfall in one of the least populated areas of Florida, but forecasters warned heavy rain could spawn catastrophic flooding in Florida, South Carolina and Georgia.
A tornado watch also was in effect for parts of Florida and Georgia on Monday.
Plus, strong winds have already knocked out power for more than 280,000 residents, according to PowerOutage.us.
In an 11 a.m. ET update, the NHC said the storm was about 35 miles west of Lake City, Florida, and about 120 miles south of Valdosta, Georgia, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph.
In a 1 p.m. ET update, officials said the storm’s momentum has slowed to 8 mph and warned areas along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts could face long-term river flooding along with flash floods from the storm.
At least one fatality has been reported from the storm. Lieutenant Scott Tummond with the Levy County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to NewsNation that officers responded to a report of a fallen tree on a mobile home. Police said a 13-year-old boy was killed by the fallen tree’s impact.
DeSantis warns of storm safety risks
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday during a news conference that the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and the Howard Franklin Bridge, along with several roads, have been temporarily closed due to high-speed winds and flooding.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us. There’s going to be a lot of water that’s going to be dumped throughout the state. We are going to see the effects of that not just today, but in the ensuing days,” DeSantis said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said some 17,000 linemen are working to restore electricity. He warned residents in affected areas to sit tight until conditions are safe.
“When the water rises, when you have streets that can be flooded, that’s hazardous,” DeSantis said. “Don’t try to drive through this. We don’t want to see traffic fatalities adding up. Don’t tempt fate, don’t try to go through these flooded streets.”
Forecasters warn of record flooding
Forecasters warned heavy amounts of rain from Debby could spawn catastrophic flooding in Florida, South Carolina and Georgia.
The sparsely populated Big Bend region in the Florida Panhandle also was hit last year by Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane.
The National Weather Service in Tallahassee said Monday morning that heavy flooding was the biggest concern in the Big Bend regions, with storm surge expected across Apalachee Bay.
In Marion County, which is inland and south of Gainesville, sheriff’s officials noted in a Facebook post Monday that crews were responding to reports of downed power lines and trees that had fallen on roadways and homes.
Debby was expected to move eastward over northern Florida and then stall over the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina, thrashing the region with potential record-setting rains totaling up to 30 inches beginning Tuesday.
Officials also warned of life-threatening storm surge along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with 6 to 10 feet of inundation expected Monday between the Ochlockonee and Suwannee Rivers.
Flooding could last through Friday and is expected to be especially severe in low-lying areas near the coast, including Savannah, Georgia; Hilton Head, South Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina. North Carolina officials were monitoring the storm’s progress.
In Georgia, officials closed ports and the mayor of Savannah warned the city could see “once in a lifetime” amounts of rain. In Charleston, South Carolina, officials also warned of “unprecedented” amounts of rain.
Emergencies declared ahead of landfall
DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 of Florida’s 67 counties, with the National Guard activating 3,000 guard members. Utility crews from in and out of state were ready to restore power after the storm, he said in a post on X.
In Tampa alone, officials gave out more than 30,000 sandbags to barricade against flooding.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster made their emergency declarations.
NewsNation affiliate WFLA and The Associated Press contributed to this report.