VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia County leaders are keeping a close eye on communities along the St. Johns River as water levels continue to rise following heavy rainfall across Central Florida.
The recent rain is pushing more water into the river, raising concerns for residents in low-lying areas, including Stone Island.
Jane Rourke has been watching water creep into parts of her backyard for days. She says an RV sitting on a raised platform is now just about a foot away from being overtaken by the water.
“You can see the RV is on a platform that is about 3 or 4 feet high, and we only got about a foot left before it goes over there,” Rourke said.
The rising water isn’t her only concern. Rourke says she’s now keeping an eye out for three alligators in the area.
Living on Stone Island, Rourke is familiar with flooding. In 2022, Hurricane Ian left her and dozens of other residents trapped for about a month.
“Scary… you had to come and see me by boat,” Rourke said, recalling that experience.
After a relatively quiet hurricane season, Rourke hoped the island would catch a break. But after hearing from friends in Brevard County about flooding farther south, she knew the rising water could eventually reach her community.
“I have friends down in Brevard County that would call me and say, ‘We’re flooding down here, so beware, it’s on its way to you,’” she said.
Volusia County spokesperson Clayton Jackson said officials are monitoring conditions but are not sounding the alarm just yet. He warns residents not to expect the water to disappear quickly, even after levels begin to fall.
Rourke said she’s not currently worried about water getting inside her home, but watching it cover the roads is still unsettling.
“If there’s an emergency, you worry about the ambulances and fire trucks being able to get to us. But other than that, we stock up with food and wait it out, just like we wait for a hurricane to hit,” she said.
Volusia County has a sandbag distribution site open off State Road 415 in Osteen. The site is open daily until 5 p.m. and will remain open until the National Weather Service cancels its warnings.
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