LAKE NONA, Fla. – Storm debris pickup operations will soon begin in Osceola County after some areas were flooded so badly from Hurricane Ian that they could not be reached until now.
Osceola County resident John Spanglo, like many people, is still cleaning up after Ian. Our crew saw him Sunday as he helped his neighbors drain water from their driveway. Across the street, his backyard still looks more like a river.
“22 years, and we’ve never had water this high before,” Spanglo said. “My boat is well above the boat dock.”
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He told News 6 he was happy to know that on Monday, the county’s debris cleanup contractor will begin picking up curbside flood debris for residents in unincorporated Osceola’s Ian-related flood zones.
For a map showing the areas within unincorporated Osceola County where storm debris will be picked up beginning Monday, click here.
County leaders said flood debris may include things such as carpeting, flooring and furniture, but not tree and plant debris or hazardous materials.
They said normal household trash must be separated from flooding debris and placed in garbage bins for regular collection days.
Sunday, now more than two weeks since the hurricane made landfall, we saw roads in Osceola County neighborhoods that remained impassable. Water that ended up rising has not yet receded.
As for Spanglo, he said the debris cleanup is a good first step in trying to move forward.
“It’ll be good to see all that stuff gone. It’s just a rodent haven,” Spanglo said.
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