SANFORD, Fla. — Water continued to rise several days after Hurricane Ian moved through Central Florida, causing all sorts of problems for homeowners and businesses along the St. Johns River. — including downtown Sanford along Lake Monroe.
What You Need To Know
- Homeowners and business owners along Lake Monroe in downtown Sanford say the flooding is the worst they've seen in decades
- Power was cut to all of Marina Island due to water reaching power boxes
- When the St. Johns River crests at Lake Monroe, it's forecast to recede slowly
Sanford’s fire chief says power was cut to all of Marina Island in downtown because water reached power boxes, causing businesses to close.
Another business nearby, Executive Cigar Shop & Lounge, was able to stay open after the storm hit, despite water creeping close.
“It’s a little bit odd when you can literally reach over the patio and touch an alligator swimming by,” said owner Joe Dalton.
But Dalton said when the power was shut off to Marina Island, it also cut off power to his business, forcing it to close.
“This is a hiccup — again, not a hardship like what South Florida’s dealing with and everybody else,” she said. “So if we have to figure something out for a few days, we’ll be just fine.”
Dalton’s staff is closely monitoring humidity levels inside the lounge, which is necessary to keep his stock of cigars from going bad. Water along Lake Monroe is expected to crest in the next few days, but forecasts show it could take a long time for the water to go down again.