Flash Flooding in Florida, December 13 to 14, 1997

Heavy rains caused flooding of 70 to 80 homes along a one mile strip of the Anclote River near Elfers in Pasco county where eight to nine inches of rain with isolated amounts of up to 14 inches fell in less than twelve hours.Floodwaters caused nearly one million dollars worth of damage to mechanical equipment at the Stearns Peat Company along U.S. Highway 98 near Dade City in eastern Pasco County.An estimated half million dollars worth of crops, mainly strawberry, were damaged throughout portions of eastern Pasco county by the heavy rains. Property damage from in Pasco county from the flood was estimated at $2.95 million dollars.In Hillsborough county, eight homes in north Tampa lost electrical power due to the floodwaters caused by heavy rain of up to seven inches in less than twelve hours. Also, several properties along an area from Nebraska Avenue and 22nd Street east to the University of South Florida along Fowler Avenue incurred water damage from the floodwaters. These included twenty-two homes, 91 apartments and two mobile homes damaged by the floodwaters along low lying or areas near the Hillsborough River. Damage in Hillsborough county from the flood was estimated at $1.5 million dollars.In Manatee county, several mobile homes were flooded at the Frog Creek Campground in Rubonia. Damage in Manatee county from the flood was estimated at $50,000 dollars.