TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Governor DeSantis provided updates on Hurricane Debby in his fourth 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 moved out of the state.
Hurricane Debby made landfall at 7 am EDT near Steinhatchee, Florida. In anticipation, 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 8 PM EDT, Tropical Storm Debby is located about 50 miles east of Valdosta, Georgia. The storm is expected to move slowly across northern Florida, with its center moving across southeast Georgia tonight and Tuesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts.
As of this morning, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) emergency response personnel have completed preliminary assessments of over 8,000 lane miles of state roads. FDOT crews have performed cut-and-toss operations removing road debris on over 4,000 miles of road.
The State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) is operational. Residents needing resources before and after Hurricane Debby can call 1-800-342-3557. There are English and Spanish speakers available to answer questions.
Tropical Storm Warnings have been issued for Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee and Union counties.
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.
Follow FDEM on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook for updates and visit FloridaDisaster.org/Updates for information relating to Hurricane Debby.