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Floodwaters continue to rise in Osceola County

ST. CLOUD, Fla. — Floodwaters are continuing to rise in Osceola County as water from Orange and Seminole counties flow south following Hurricane Ian.

The flow of Central Florida’s complex connected waterway system is contributing to evacuations and additional floods.

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In Osceola County, water is already blocking the entry and exit of homes in the Pemberly Pines community, and the water is only expected to get higher.

Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez and Attorney General Ashley Moody toured storm damage in the county by boat on Tuesday.

Lopez said many residents shouldn’t expect to get back to their homes any time soon as water levels remain high and floodwaters test positive for sewage contamination.

Read: Floodwaters continuing to rise in St. Cloud days after Hurricane Ian

South Florida Water Management District officials say it is working with Osceola and Orange counties to get water levels under control.

Temporary pumps have been added to push water through to the Kissimmee and Lake Okeechobee water systems.

Read: St. Cloud residents evacuate as water expected to rise after Ian

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Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.