CLEARWATER, Florida — Although the Tampa Bay area avoided some of the major destruction Hurricane Idalia brought to Florida's Big Bend region, our local communities were left with some serious flooding and storm surge.
Aerial footage from Sky 10 shows ponds and rivers on top of lawns and sidewalks throughout the region, especially in our coastal areas and barrier islands.
Tampa's Riverwalk, for example, was covered by inches of water from the adjacent Hillsborough River. And more than 24 hours after Idalia swept through, the typically white sands and blue waters of Clearwater Beach are practically unrecognizable.
Footage from Sky 10 shows brown water pooling near beachfront buildings. Multiple photos and videos shared by the Clearwater police department show feet of water and debris flooding the streets and nearby walkways.
One resident was able to use a paddleboard in the middle of the road. And for several hours, police said they were only able to access some areas of Clearwater Beach with a specialty high-water vehicle.
According to meteorologist Mike Prangley, Clearwater Beach recorded a surge of 4.8 feet.
Access to the barrier island was restored around 5 p.m. Wednesday after city crews worked to clear the roads.
As the waiting game now begins for Hurricane Idalia's floodwaters to recede, officials are still urging people not to venture into pools of standing water due to the potential spread of waterborne illness and disease.
In 2022, the aftermath of Hurricane Ian helped foster ripe conditions for the formation of the flesh-eating bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus. The Florida Department of Health recorded 74 cases and 17 deaths directly related to flooding after Ian.
Before Idalia made landfall, health officials had already reported more than two dozen cases of Vibrio and five deaths in the Tampa Bay area so far in 2023. Bacterial infections can arise through open wounds, water ingestion or in connection with raw seafood.
KARE's Samantha Fischer contributed to this report.