Hurricane Helene is projected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and possible floods to Manatee County and Florida’s Big Bend region. Forecasts, as of September 25, project Helene will strike Florida Thursday evening, September 26, and head north through parts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina into Friday.
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Manatee County officials have cut off the water supply to Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key Thursday in preparation for Hurricane Helene’s anticipated storm surge.
The service shutoff impacts Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach and the Town of Longboat Key. The barrier islands are under an evacuation order ahead of the hurricane, which is forecast to bring 5 to 8 feet of storm surge to the area.
Officials said that county monitoring stations already detected 3 feet of surge Thursday morning before the storm’s arrival.
“This precautionary measure is being implemented to maintain the integrity of the water infrastructure,” Manatee County Government said in a news release.
As of 5:45 a.m., the City of Anna Maria said water had been “throttled down to a minimal amount to maintain pressure.”
When will water be restored to AMI, Longboat Key?
Officials said water will restored when it is safe to do so.
“County crews will be ready to restore water service as soon as conditions allow,” the county said. “Please understand this (is) a necessary safety precaution to ensure that water line stays intact.”
Impacted residents should receive an IPAWS emergency alert, the county said.
Manatee County shut off drinking water to Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key beaches to prepare for Hurricane Helene storm surge. Manatee County Sheriff's Office via X
Islanders prepare for storm
Despite the evacuation orders, some residents are choosing to weather the storm on the barrier islands.
“I’m not leaving...I don’t think it’s gonna be any worse than what we’ve experienced before,” one resident wrote.
But many others were heeding the warnings. Residents recalled water being cut off for past storms, including Hurricane Ian in 2022.
“Anna Maria Island is a ghost town,” ABC 7 anchor Brendan Mackey posted on Facebook Wednesday evening along with a video of empty streets. “Tourists and residents appear to be following the mandatory evacuation order. Many stores are prepared with sandbags and boards.”
In a Thursday morning Facebook post, the Holmes Beach Police Department asked people to stay off the roads unless they have an important reason for driving.
“The roads are already under water and many cars will not make it through,” the agency said.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office shared similar images Thursday morning. In a social media post, the agency shared pictures that showed standing floodwater along South Drive and South Bay Boulevard, near the Anna Maria Island City Pier.
We'd like to thank residents for following evacuation orders and preparing for Hurricane #Helene.
We're beginning to see some flooding on Anna Maria Island. As conditions worsen, we encourage you to avoid traveling and report any flooded roadways, damage, or outages to 3-1-1. pic.twitter.com/U3B45dfw0f
Ryan Ballogg is a local news and environment reporter and features writer at the Bradenton Herald. His work has received awards from the Florida Society of News Editors and the Florida Press Club. Ryan is a Florida native and graduate of USF St. Petersburg.Support my work with a digital subscription
Hurricane Helene is projected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and possible floods to Manatee County and Florida’s Big Bend region. Forecasts, as of September 25, project Helene will strike Florida Thursday evening, September 26, and head north through parts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina into Friday.
