Widespread Flooding Inundates Downtown Tampa, Bayshore Due To Idalia

TAMPA, FL — Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw shook his head as he viewed the damage and flooding along Bayshore Boulevard in the wake of Hurricane Idalia.

He conceded it was a bit surreal to see the same streets he drove down Tuesday now impassable due to floodwaters.

Bercaw is warning residents to remain at home and not to drive through the flooded roads.

He said even his Tampa police sports utility vehicles aren't able to assess some roads. The police department is using high-water rescue vehicles to respond to requests for rescues from residents who are trapped in their homes.

"This is why you don’t drive through flooded streets," he said, noting a car abandoned in the floodwaters near Tampa General Hospital. "Even a few inches of water can cause you to lose control of your vehicle, and salt water can damage your engine."

"We're now of danger quite yet so just use common sense," said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor. "Just stay in and don't go sightseeing."

Castor said, despite the flooding, the city has managed to keep access open to Tampa General Hospital.

"TGH is accessible and running at full speed," she said. "I think we're in pretty good condition right now."

"Bayshore Boulevard is still flooded, but it looks like we're hitting the height of the tide and it will begin receding soon," she said.

Davis Islands, however, is cut off from the rest of Tampa with flooding across Davis Boulevard in both directions, she said. The same is true for other neighborhood roads in Tampa, and the Tampa police have had to rescue residents from flooded homes.

"Despite our orders to evacuate, we'll always have individuals who ignore them and the police have to rescue them," she said.

Meanwhile, the Skyway Bridge has been reopened. The fishing piers and rest areas remain closed, however.

The Howard Frankland Bridge, Courtney Campbell Causeway and the Gandy Bridge are now open.

Residents interested in where flooding has taken place and when it's expected to recede can click here for real-time updates.

Residents who need to be rescued should call the Tampa Police Department at 813-231-6130. Tampa police are using high-water rescue vehicles to reach trapped homeowners.

Resident Santiago Arcila took this dramatic video early Wednesday morning on Bayshore Boulevard.

She added that she's been in contact with Archie Collins, president of Tampa Electric Co., and is pleased to hear that outages are minimal.

Tampa Electric is reporting only 1,206 outages.

"TECO is getting power restored as quickly as it can with the additional resources that have been staged in this area," she said.

For Tampa Electric customers experiencing power outages:

• Log into your online account at TecoAccount.com to report the outage with one click.
• Visit TampaElectric.com/Outage and report your outage and get restoration status.
• Text OUT to 27079.
• Text UPDATE or STATUS for updates on your reported outage.
• Call 1-877-588-1010, Tampa Electric’s dedicated toll-free automated power outage phone system.
• Go to TecoAccount.com/Notifications and sign up for free outage notifications by text, email or phone calls.

Check back to Patch for more Hurricane Idalia updates.

If you have photos of flooding or damage you'd like to share, send them to dann.white@patch.com.