Because Okeechobee County is now under a tornado warning, the county utility authority is also issuing a boil advisory starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday until further notice.
WFLX reporter Ethan Stein spoke with Okeechobee Mayor Dowling Watford, who explained the challenges the city faces.
Watford said the Army Corps of Engineers assured him Lake Okeechobee would not flood, and they seemed very confident. However, wind is still a concern.
The county believes about 13,000 people live in mobile homes, which Watford is concerned could become dangerous projectiles in strong enough winds.
“Our population is not as affluent as some coastal areas and our resources being a rural community. We don’t have the resources that some of the larger counties and cities have. It’s a challenge for us,” Watford said. One thing going for us is that our community is like a family, we help each other out, the collaboration between us and our partners is incredible, and it’s amazing how we all work together.
The mayor also told WFLX that a lack of affluence in the community could make responding to storms more difficult.
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