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Florida sheriff warns of possible flooding from levee breach in Sarasota County

The potential flooding would hit the Hidden River neighborhood, which is about 70 homes.
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The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office in Florida is warning residents of a potential levee breach that could cause flooding for about 70 homes.

A notification was sent out around 3 a.m. Saturday saying that homes near the Hidden River levee could be affected.

'The compromise of this levee appears that it WILL ONLY IMPACT HOMES ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE HIDDEN RIVER COMMUNITY," the sheriff's office wrote in a Facebook post."This levee compromise SHOULD NOT impact any other areas in Sarasota County including Venice or North Port."

Flooding in the Hidden River community following Hurricane Ian.
Flooding in the Hidden River community in Sarasota, Fla. following Hurricane Ian.Sarasota County Sheriff's Office via Facebook

Deputies are working with the fire department on going door-to-door to alert residents. The sheriff's office encouraged the community to consider evacuating.

The potential flooding could hit people living on the east side of the Hidden River neighborhood, which is about 70 homes, according to a sheriff's office update Saturday afternoon.

Parts of Florida were hit hard when Hurricane Ian slammed into the coast Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm, causing the deaths of more than 30 people. The Medical Examiners Commission said most of the deaths were the result of drowning.

The agency confirmed at least two deaths in Sarasota County, a 71-year-old man who died of head injuries when he fell from a roof while putting up rain shutters and an 80-year-old man who collapsed and died in his bathroom after he was unable to use his oxygen tank.