Peace River above flood stage, floods homes

WAUCHULA (FOX 13) - Hardee and Highlands may have been two Bay Area counties hardest-hit by Hurricane Irma.

The entire Little Charlie Creek RV Park in Hardee County is underwater.

”It is heartbreaking you come home you ain’t got a house to come home to,” said resident Tyler Congleton.

Flood waters from the Peace River have turned the park into a giant lake. Hurricane Irma put the river above “major flood stage.”

All Wauchula’s Becky Martin can do is watch, as her home slowly fills up.

“Scared to death I’ve got no money and nowhere to go,” she said.

Dozens of others are scrambling to save what they can.
While at the same time trying to dodge snakes and alligators spotted in the murky water.

”We wasn’t prepared for this what do we do,” said Kim Congleton. “My whole life is in that house. It's devastating."

With hurricane clean-up efforts in full-swing across Florida, residents here in rural Hardee County worry their needs will be lost in the mix.

“I’m worried to death,” Martin said.

Residents worry the situation will only get worse over the next 24 to 48 hours as the river is expected to continue flooding.