Texas flood tragedy underscores river safety concerns in Florida
Knowing your flood risk in Florida
FOX 13's Evyn Moon talked with management officials about what people can do in the Tampa Bay area to stay safe and aware of the flood risks that rivers pose.
FLORIDA - The deadly flooding in Texas is serving as a wake-up call for Floridians living near rivers that swell during heavy rainstorms.
Emergency management teams in Hillsborough County and across the state say residents should be paying close attention to local river conditions this hurricane season.
By the numbers:
The Alafia River rose 23 feet after Hurricane Helene — its highest level since 1933.
The Manatee River rose more than 7 feet in some areas last fall.
Hillsborough County has seen dozens of river rescues in recent years.
About 95,000 residents are currently subscribed to the county's flood alert system — a small portion of the total population.
What they're saying:
"Water is the big killer," said Paul Dellegatto, FOX 13 Chief Meteorologist. "When rain falls at 4 to 6 inches per hour, we don’t have the systems to handle it — especially with rivers like the Alafia or Manatee."
"Water will always find a way," added Tim Dudley, Hillsborough County Emergency Management Director. "We saw record-setting flooding along the Alafia. It wasn’t just how fast the water came in — it stayed for weeks."
READ: Tampa leaders talking flood concerns in series of meetings. Here's how you can weigh in
What you can do:
Download the HCFL Alert app to receive real-time flood and storm alerts in Hillsborough County.
Sign up for text or email alerts if you live near flood-prone rivers like the Alafia, Manatee, or Hillsborough.
Know your evacuation zone and avoid driving through flooded areas — "Turn around, don’t drown."
The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Evyn Moon.