Wounded Times

Fay drenches parts of Florida; 8,000 homes flooded
Story Highlights
NEW: Rainfall could reach 30 inches in some areas, forecast says
Airboats help rescue people in flooded homes in St. Lucie County
Kennedy Space Center will remain closed for a second day
Track Fay with CNN's Hurricane Tracker

PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida (CNN) -- While residents were rescued by airboats from their homes Wednesday in southeast Florida, Tropical Storm Fay churned in the Atlantic ocean likely gearing for a return to dump more water on the state this week.

National Guard troops rescued seven people from a trailer park in southern Brevard county that was surrounded by high water, a spokesman said.

As many as 8,000 homes in two low-lying areas may have been damaged, the St. Lucie County Public Safety Department said.

"We've never seen anything like this," Sheriff Ken Mascara said, adding that officials had expected the storm to follow a more northern path.

"Last night the eye actually skirted St. Lucie County. We were on the southside of the eye," Mascara said.

"It actually became stationary last night at one point, and that's the reason why we have so much water today. We thought we'd get maybe 4 or 5 inches of rain with this weather, and we got closer to 15."

Bethany Schulstrom, 16, an iReport contributor, said water was up to people's knees in the streets of Port St. Lucie. "They sent a warning to everyone not to leave [their homes] because the snakes are coming out of their holes and there's fish everywhere," she said.

Near the north fork of the St. Lucie River, water gushed down streets and lapped at the doors of parked cars.

Meg Defore said that the first floor of her home was 14 feet above ground but water had reached the top of her doors. She left in a small boat.

Meanwhile, Susan Thul sat on her porch, waving to passers-by. She vowed to stay in her house because she said the water reportedly had reached its highest point.


In Melbourne, where a 50-year-old rainfall record was shattered, residents have been warned of an alligator swimming in the streets, according to CNN affiliate WKMG-TV in Orlando.
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http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/08/20/tropical.storm.fay/index.html