Emergency responders work to remove road debris, warn residents to honor curfew and stay inside

Palm Coast Observer
News

Flagler County emergency responders are clearing debris from major roads, and warned residents Friday evening to remain inside and honor the county's 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew. Downed power lines and tree limbs still litter the roadways, and many traffic light are not working.

"We want to keep people sheltered inside where they're safe," Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Troiano said. "We've got a lot of street lights that are out still, power lines down."

There have been no reports of major injuries from Hurricane Matthew, though there were some minor ones.

"We really dodged the bullet with this one," Troiano said. "God certainly blessed Flagler County and many, and sent this east. We expected much worse. We were preparing for much worse."

There have also been no reports of looting.

"That's the reason why that curfew is in place," Troiano said. "You've got a lot of people out looking, just to see. But it's still dangerous."

The storm caused serious damage to Oceanside Boulevard, washing away large sections of the road south of 9th Street S. in Flagler Beach.

"It's going to take a while to repair," Troiano said. He wasn't sure how long.

The State Road 100 bridge remained closed eastbound Friday evening, and will remain so until sometime Saturday, Troiano said.

The storm washed away the T-section of the Flagler Beach pier, and damaged the roofs of some buildings along Oceanshore Boulevard.

There were reports of trees falling on homes in the B-Section of Palm Coast, and of downed trees throughout the county.

As of Friday evening, about 45 Sheriff's Office deputies had been out on patrol since the morning of Thursday, Oct. 6, in two shifts. Ten people have been working in the dispatch center, instead of the usual five.

Power companies are working to restore power, Troiano said, and grocery store owners are hoping to open soon. If they're unable to, the Army National Guard will set up distribution points for water and food.

"Most stores ... want to get open as quickly as possible," Troiano said. "They want to be able to get the food out to people."

Troiano implored residents to be patient as emergency responders do their work. "Have patience, " he said. "Understand, there are going to be delays."