WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — The Pasco Sheriff's Office and numerous agencies are helping people safely leave their home as rising water threatens their houses.
Deputies, the FWC and the Florida State Guard are stationed off State Road 54 in the Enclave subdivision.
Sabrina Hydes grabbed her dog, some dog food and a few belongings.
"It's pretty much up to the top of my mailbox. It's halfway up my driveway. It hasn't reached my house yet, but from what I'm hearing, it might get there," she said.
Other neighbors in Wesley Chapel watch as the water creeps onto the street.
"Honestly, I've never seen anything like this before so it's definitely crazy. I feel so sad for the people, they're being displaced and it's really sad to see," said Jennifer Jerez who lives nearby.
Strangers from nearby neighborhoods are also showing up to help.
Rachel Munkwitz, her husband and children showed up with water, blankets, sheets and boxes. They also offered people rides.
"It’s really unbelievable, really close, literally in our backyard and we just decided to get in the car and see if we can help," she said.
The Pasco Sheriff's Office said the Cypress Creek is causing flooding in the neighborhood.
Team members with Project Dynamo also up to help. They provided sandbags and helped homeowners leave their homes. The Tampa-based non-profit organization responds to disasters across the world.
"Project dynamo, we’ve been to Afghanistan, Ukraine, Maui. We were down in Southwest Florida with Ian. It’s one thing to deploy to a disaster area, it’s another thing to walk out your front door and be in a disaster area," said Judge.
Neighbors feel stressed as they wonder when they can return home.
"I'm stressed because I'm a teacher and school starts back up on Tuesday and I can't come back here on Tuesday so I don't know what I'm going to do," said Hydes.
The Pasco Sheriff's Office is also monitoring flooding caused by the Anclote River in Elfers.
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
