FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Lee County Public Safety-Emergency Management staff and partners dispatched crews this morning to assess potential storm impacts and to monitor the continued Elsa-related weather impacts throughout the county.
The following areas of the county that experienced localized flooding:
- Captiva Island
- Pine Island
- John Morris Road in south Fort Myers
Crews worked to clear outfalls and continued to monitor those county areas through the high tide cycle mid-day today. The work that crews performed before Elsa, such as clearing roadside ditches, swales and drainage canals have helped mitigate localized flooding in many areas that typically experience it.
The Lee Board of County Commissioners and county staff have created plans for flood mitigation since the 2017 rainy season when Hurricane Irma impacted Lee County.
"While the flood-mitigation efforts are phased-in and ongoing, it appears that many of the infrastructure projects undertaken so far helped mitigate localized flooding for Elsa," officials included in statement.
For more information on BoCC flood mitigation, offcials have provided this video.
The Lee County Public Safety-Emergency Management staff have resumed normal operations. The Florida Department of Health-Lee cautions residents against swimming or wading in floodwaters.
"Children who play in floodwaters can be exposed to water contaminated with fecal matter or other waste. The county encourages residents and visitors to monitor the National Weather Service’s notices about rip currents. Dangerous riptides are present all along the Gulf Coast and will continue to be throughout today and Thursday," the statement also included.
For more updates and information, visit the Lee County's storm page.
