'It's unprecedented': Withlacoochee River expected to crest Thursday

Rising Withlacoochee River prompts evacuations

Aaron Mesmer reports

Brooksville, Fla. - Flooding from Hurricane Milton is ongoing, and on Oct. 16, an evacuation order remained in effect for communities along the Withlacoochee River. The river is expected to soon reach its peak level.

The river is projected to crest Thursday and reach 19.5 feet, more than seven feet above flood stage.

Communities along the Withlacoochee have been under an evacuation order for several days, as flooding has significantly impacted the Trilby, Croom, and Ridge Manor communities.

WATCH: Linemen wading in waist-deep water after Milton

John Nichols, a Ridge Manor resident, said he is closely monitoring the water levels of the Withlacoochee River.

"Keeping an eye on the water. I check it every morning. I check it night, just trying to decide on if I need to call somebody to help me pull some stuff out or not," said Nichols. "I'm in a lot better situation."

Nichols said he is in a better situation than some of his neighbors.

"My neighbor right here, she's never had water in her backyard," said Nichols.

The river flooding concerns continued one week after Hurricane Milton dumped about ten inches of rainfall onto the Hernando County area.

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Part of US31 near exit 50 flooded due to Withlacoochee River rising.

A portion of U.S. 301 remains underwater and closed near State Road 50.

The county built a makeshift access road near a Walmart distribution center to help residents evacuate the area.

David DeCarlo, Hernando County's Emergency Management Director, said the flooding of the Withlacoochee River is nearly unprecedented.

"These are historic flood levels that we're seeing right now. We haven't seen this since the 1930's," said DeCarlo. "It's unprecedented. A lot of people have never experienced this type of flooding in the past. We want everybody to be safe."

DeCarlo said crews with Withlacoochee River Electric have been going by boat to check on homes and disconnect power if there's a potential fire risk.

The Enrichment Center at 800 John Gary Grubbs Boulevard in Brooksville offers shelter for displaced residents. DeCarlo said 46 people were staying there as of Wednesday morning.

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