Pasco County officials are warning of delayed flooding events after Idalia, which is typical for the region after a major storm.
"Even 24 to 72 hours post a hurricane passing, our area will start to accumulate the rainfall and other flooding from the communities that are north of us. So we could potentially see secondary flooding here," assistant director of emergency management Laura Wilcoxen said.
She says the county's topography is shaped like a bowl, making it easy for water, from rainfall and storm surge, to drain from northern regions into their region.
Pasco County's emergency operations team is watching the flood-prone Anclote and Pithlachascotee Rivers, in particular.
National Weather Service forecasts show that the Anclote River could swell another 48 inches to hit 15.9 feet, but it is not expected to reach the designated 20-foot flood stage.
Read more: 'The water was up to our thighs': Idalia's storm surge stuns Pasco residents
As of Thursday, the county had yet to receive a federal disaster declaration that would help coastal residents recuperate after the effects of Idalia and a five-foot storm surge. Through the storm, Pasco Fire Rescue conducted 85 rescue missions, saving at least 150 people from rising floodwaters, according to a county press release.
The first wave of major disaster declarations on Thursday included seven Florida counties — Citrus, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee and Taylor — but is expected to grow in coming days, according to a state-issued press release.
"We have FEMA who's here as well as the state, and they're already working with us on damage assessments to get us that help us achieve that presidential declaration," Wilcoxen said. "That's a very good sign."
Building inspectors, alongside FEMA and Florida Department of Emergency Management representatives, are actively surveying the nearly 6,000 residences and businesses that sustained water damage.
Wilcoxen said gaining a federal disaster designation would allow individuals and families to apply for up to $30,000 toward rebuilding water-damaged homes and permit businesses to apply for low-interest SBA loans.
Until then, she reminds residents to document water damage to property, collect all receipts for repairs and report damages to Pasco County by calling 727-847-2411, or by using the county's "Report Damage" tool.
