The City of St. Petersburg is currently experiencing the effects of Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm passing through the Tampa Bay area. Mayor Welch held a media briefing at 5:30 p.m. to update residents on the situation.
The hurricane is expected to bring unprecedented levels of storm surge between five and eight feet, with the highest surge anticipated around midnight. The city has already begun receiving calls for high-water rescues, and first responders are prepared to conduct search and rescue missions as conditions allow.
Residents in Zone A who have not evacuated are advised to shelter in place as storm conditions worsen overnight. The city also urges people to stay off flooded roads and limit water usage on Thursday and Friday.
Special precautions are advised for electric vehicle owners, who should avoid driving through or charging their vehicles in flooded waters due to the risk of battery fires.
Residents living north of 30th Avenue N and east of Haines Road may face disruptions if the Northeast Water Reclamation Facility goes offline due to storm surge. Should the facility be shut down, it could take at least 48 hours before operations resume after necessary inspections and repairs.
While there is no decision yet to shut down the sewer treatment plant, residents are urged not to panic but prepare by avoiding draining water into their systems, flushing toilets, or using showers, dishwashers, or washing machines.
For updates specific to St. Petersburg, residents can sign up for Alert St. Pete at pinellas.gov/alert or follow @StPeteFL on social media channels. Further information about Hurricane Helene can be found at nhc.noaa.gov.
