Alafia River one of many slow-motion flood disasters in Florida post-Milton
Milton’s heavy rainfall across central and north Florida is causing widespread river flooding as water slowly drains toward the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
In Lithia, just east of Tampa, the Alafia River has surged about 15 feet since Wednesday night, when Milton dropped 10-18 inches of rain around the Tampa area. The river surpassed major flood stage on Thursday afternoon and continued rising to over 24 feet on Friday—the second highest level on record, and the highest since the Hurricane of 1933.
While the Alafia River appears to be cresting Friday afternoon, it is not expected to fall below major flood stage until Monday, meaning floodwaters will be slow to recede.
This slow drainage is being seen across the region, as Florida’s flat terrain causes rivers to drain sluggishly, a recurring issue following hurricanes and tropical storms in recent years.
The Hillsborough River, north and east of Tampa, has also swollen to record levels, flooding many low-lying areas that CNN surveyed on Thursday. Downstream areas closer to Tampa are still rising and are expected to flood additional areas in the coming days.
Additionally, the Anclote River north of Clearwater and the St. Johns River between Orlando and Daytona Beach are at major flood stage and approaching record levels. Both rivers are expected to remain in major flood stage through the weekend.
