Anclote River flooding impacts homes

ELFERS (FOX 13) - The last rain drop from Hurricane Irma might have fallen two days ago, but conditions were still deteriorating Tuesday for folks who live in flood-prone communities in Pasco County.

The Anclote River was expected to rise to nearly 26 feet by Wednesday, up from 13 feet on Saturday, before Irma moved into Tampa Bay. An evacuation order was placed on the Elfers community Monday afternoon.

"It's just hard to see all these poor families that are evacuating and not knowing what's going on," said Lawrenece Defini, who drove over to Elfers to help neighbors who hadn't evacuated. "There's so many posts on Facebook with, 'how's my property doing? How's this going? How's New Port Richey?' And it's kind of upsetting to say, 'Hey, your house is underwater.'"

Pasco County emergency management personnel, including County Administrator Kevin Guthrie, rode in high water access vehicles into Elfers to find out from neighbors what they need. Deputies waded through waste-deep water to bring food, water, and supplies to people who didn't evacuate.

Neighbors who have lived along the Anclote told FOX 13 they're used to this kind of flooding but it's hard to handle when it's so severe.

"The bad thing of it, these trailers are old, they can't take much more of this," said Mike Sawyer, who lives in a trailer park on the bank of the Anclote.

"Back there, to be honest, I don't think there is any recovery. There are houses that are up past the doors already with water," said Defini.

Business owners had their own concerns.

"I have a business right over here, which it'll build up into my parking lot so I'm closed today and probably tomorrow," said Frank Bishop.

In Hernando County, people who live along the Withlacoochee River had to deal with a similar situation. It's unclear how long it could take the water to recede after the runoff from Hurricane Irma has finished emptying into waterways.