TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Governor DeSantis provided updates on Hurricane Debby in his third press conference at the State Emergency Operations Center. He was joined by Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Executive Director Kevin Guthrie as Hurricane Debby began to make landfall in the Big Bend region.
Hurricane Debby made landfall at 7 a.m. EDT near Steinhatchee, Florida. In anticipation of this event, Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-157 on August 2, amending EO 24-156 and declaring a state of emergency for a total of 61 counties.
As of 11 a.m. EDT, Hurricane Debby was downgraded to a Tropical Storm and is located about 35 miles west of Lake City, Florida. The storm is expected to move slowly across northern Florida and southern Georgia on Monday and Tuesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph, with additional weakening expected as Debby moves over land today and tonight. As of this morning, approximately 143,000 Floridians are without power. The State of Florida has already restored power to 322,000 accounts.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) emergency response personnel have completed preliminary assessments of over 4,500 lane miles of state roads as of this morning.
The State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) is operational for residents needing resources before and after Hurricane Debby. Residents can call 1-800-342-3557 for assistance in English or Spanish.
FDEM is hosting daily calls with all 67 counties to identify needs and ensure the state is prepared to respond quickly and efficiently. Additionally, FDEM is coordinating with state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners for resource requests.
State preparedness efforts include health and human services support as well as infrastructure assessments. FDOT is assisting city and county partners with localized flooding as requested.
For updates on Hurricane Debby, follow FDEM on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook or visit FloridaDisaster.org/Updates.
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