Flooding Rains Pounding Florida Panhandle
VERNON, Fla. (CBSMiami/AP) — South Florida is used to heavy rain during the rainy season, but the amount of rain residents in the panhandle of Florida are seeing is almost unprecedented for a non-tropical system.
The heavy rain has flooded roads and nearly a dozen buildings in the Florida Panhandle and the downpours were showing no signs of letting up anytime soon.
Washington County officials say nearly a dozen buildings in Vernon were flooded Thursday. The rising waters prompted emergency managers to move an emergency shelter from the Vernon High School to the county's agricultural center in Chipley.
The U.S. Coast Guard said a dyke break caused a four-mile section of the Intracoastal Waterway to close between Choctawatchee Bay and West Bay. The waterway is closed from mile marker 262 to mile marker 266 in Walton County.
Authorities also closed all dirt roads in the county early Thursday due to the excessive rainfall.
The rains also have prompted officials across the Panhandle to cancel or reschedule Fourth of July festivities and fireworks.
Much of the area around Pensacola is under a flash flood warning until July 9. Radar estimates have shown some areas picking up more than a foot of rain with more on the way.
