Hurricane Debbie has claimed its first victim: a 13-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on his family’s mobile home as the powerful storm pounded Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Deputies were called to a home in Levy County around 8 a.m. Monday after reports of a tree falling. Deputies later confirmed the boy had been “crushed inside the home.” He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to this family as they deal with this tragedy,” the Levy County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “As we begin to assess the damage and clean up, we ask that everyone please use extreme caution. There are many hazards, including downed power lines and falling trees.”
The boy is believed to be the first victim of Hurricane Debbie, but three other people have died in car accidents believed to be related to poor visibility and icy roads caused by the weather.
Debby struck the Big Bend of the Gulf Coast, about 100 miles north of Tampa, on Monday morning. Debby made landfall as a Category 1 storm near the small North Florida town of Steinhatchee. Debby brought heavy rain and flooding, with sustained winds of 75 mph.
The massive storm shook the state, leaving more than 274,000 customers without power, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 counties.
Debby has now weakened to a severe tropical storm and continues to batter Florida as it moves northeast toward Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
In Georgia, the National Weather Service is predicting major flooding on several rivers, including the Canoochee River near Claxton, the O’Hoopee River near Reidsville and the Ogeechee River near Eden. Those rivers have not yet reached flood stage, but officials have warned that water levels could double as the storm passes through.
Authorities in Hurricane Debbie’s path warned residents to evacuate until the storm has passed.
