Lake County residents worried about Dorian flooding

ASTOR, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Lake County Emergency Management is keeping an out for flooding along the St. Johns River in Astor.
Things are starting to calm down in Astor.

“Really, the last four days has really just been a waiting game,” Lake County Emergency Management Director Thomas Carpenter said.

Emergency Management said damage from Hurricane Dorian throughout the county was minimal and for many, life is starting to get back to normal.

“Four days ago, we thought we were going to get the worst of Dorian, but we ended up getting the best of it in terms of some rain and some wind,” Carpenter said.

For others, the worry over potential flooding has just begun. About six to eight inches of water has invaded a part of a neighborhood off of River Street.

“When that happens, they’re modular homes, so you have to replace a lot of stuff inside,” Gary Walker of Astor said. “It’s kind of aggravating.”

Astor is prone to flooding. It sits along the St. Johns River. The last time this area badly flooded was during Hurricane Irma. Gary Walker, whose neighborhood has flooded, remembers that storm well.

“I couldn’t get here,” Walker said. “I was out of the house for about four months until the water receded.”

Walker had his home raised after Irma. As of right now, he doesn’t expect the water from the St. Johns to get into his home. He hopes the flooding will go down by the end of the week.

“It’s kind of aggravating to live here some times,” Walker said. “It used to be a great place to live, but the water comes up.”

Emergency management and fire and rescue will be out in Astor watching the river levels until they recede.