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'This is truly unprecedented': Withlacoochee River continues to flood out communities

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Published  October 19, 2024 5:16pm EDT
Hurricane Milton
FOX 13 News

Ridge Manor in Hernando County deals with increased flooding from Withlacoochee River

FOX 13's Jordan Bowen reports on water continuing to rise after Hurricane Milton in Ridge Manor due to the Withlacoochee River cresting.

Ridge Manor, Fla. - Hurricane Milton is far from a distant memory, and many homes and cars are underwater in the Ridge Manor area of Hernando County. 

The Withlacoochee River has gradually continued to rise over the last few days, flooding entire neighborhoods.

The flooding Ridge Manor is dealing with in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton is unprecedented. 

WATCH: Rising Withlacoochee River prompts evacuations 

A neighborhood off Cortez Blvd near Lakewood Drive is now only reachable by boat. Homes and cars are buried under several feet of water, and some mailboxes are even completely submerged.

Jason Brazinski, a Ridge Manor resident, said it will take a long time for his community to fully recover from Hurricane Milton.

"It's unimaginable devastation for these folks to live here," Brazinski said. "This is just going to be such a long recovery process." 

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Car fully underwater from continued flooding from Withlacoochee River in Ridge Manor.

Brazinski said the state of Florida’s messaging on hurricane recovery, centered around the state turning the corner from the hurricanes, doesn’t apply to the Ridge Manor community.

"I think a lot of the state has shifted into a mood of things are getting better," Brazinski said. "In this particular location, that's not the case right now." 

Saturday, Brazinski was one of several Good Samaritans who used boats to help take people to their homes to get any valuables they could that weren't already damaged.

READ MORE: Withlacoochee River cresting at historic level Thursday

"Their houses are completely flooded, and there's just no sign of the water letting up so far," Brazinski said. "We keep waiting for it to recede. And it just keeps creeping up."

Ridge Manor has about 100 homes. As of Saturday afternoon, nearly all of them were surrounded by several feet of water. 

The neighborhood backs up to two large lakes, which Brazinski says contributed to the extensive flooding.

"Back in 2004, when we moved out here, (we had) four hurricanes in a row, and the water didn't come up anywhere near like it has this time," Brazinski said. 

READ MORE: Withlacoochee River levels continue rising in Hernando County, prompting evacuations

Brazinski said, "I spent 25 years in the fire service, (I) did water rescues off this river, but (I) never saw anything like this." 

"This is truly unprecedented," he finished.

Many Ridge Manor residents thought they escaped the worst of Hurricane Milton, but more than a week and a half later, they're experiencing unprecedented flooding. 

Brazinsky vows to continue to help people get what they can from their homes. 

"We're just waiting for it to start receding so we can get people in there and start some cleanup," Brazinski said.

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