Tampa begins massive clean up after record storm surge from Helene

Flooding from the severe storm surge on Bayshore Boulevard Thursday is all gone but it left behind lots of dirt and debris.

People who live near Bayshore Blvd. spent the majority of the day cleaning up the mess by sweeping up mud, sucking out water, and placing damaged furniture on the curb caused by the unprecedented storm surge that Hurricane Helene brought.

“Up to the driveways, up to the porches and some cases the stoops,” said Rachel Long.

Some residents had about six inches of water get inside their house. When Long saw her street filling with water, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“I’ve never seen it this high, once in a lifetime. In the 28 years that we’ve lived here, Fielding has taken on water but nothing like this, between the surge and the wind, crazy,” she said.

ABC Action News crews were there Thursday afternoon before Hurricane Helene arrived and the storm surge was already waist high. The water mark on the walls of Scott Singer’s home shows you how high the water got.

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