Story highlights Debby, now a tropical depression, moves inland across Florida 
  
 Heavy rain sweeps over low-lying coastal flats 
  
 The Suwannee River is forecast to rise 22 feet in one day 
  
 Flooding prompts the closure of parts of Interstate 10 
  
 Tropical Storm Debby shriveled to a tropical depression after hitting Florida on Tuesday, but it still packed heavy rains that threatened to worsen flooding along the Gulf Coast and inland towns, forecasters reported. 
  
 Debby lumbered onto the marshy west coast near Steinhatchee, about 160 miles north of Tampa, on Tuesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center announced. But it was projected to dump another 4 to 8 inches of precipitation across the area through Wednesday evening, on top of the 2 feet reported in some towns south of Tallahassee by Tuesday. 
  
 In addition, storm and tidal surges caused flooding as far south as the Tampa Bay area, and it's blamed for one death from a tornado spawned Sunday afternoon in the town of Venus, far inland. 
  
 As of 8 p.m. ET, Debby had top winds of 35 mph. It was centered about 50 miles west of Gainesville, moving east-northeast at 6 mph and wasn't expected to lose much strength as it crossed the Florida peninsula, forecasters said. 
  
 Tropical storm warnings up and down the coast were dropped as the depression moved inland, but the storm left high water behind in several towns as it passed. 
  
 In Sopchoppy, westward across Apalachee Bay from the landfall site, Crystal Pesek said she got a text message from her sister Tuesday morning, asking how the work on her kitchen cabinets was going. 
  
 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – Emergency crews work the scene of a flooded street, where Pasco County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Doug Tobin confirms they are attempting to recover an unidentified body in New Port Richey, Florida, on Wednesday, June 27. Debby weakened to a tropical depression after it drifted ashore on Florida's Gulf Coast on Tuesday. Hide Caption 1 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – A car drives on a flooded street on Tuesday, June 26, in New Port Richey, Florida. Residents are preparing to leave under a mandatory evacuation order. According to local reports, two area rivers have converged and surpassed the 100-year flood plain. Hide Caption 2 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – A mother and her children prepare evacuate the New Port Richey, Florida, area. Hide Caption 3 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – Residents of the Mill Run area ready their homes with sandbags in preparation of the continually approaching storm. Hide Caption 4 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – Doreen Ferrilo opens the door to her flooded home to salvage what she can before she must evacuate. Hide Caption 5 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – A house in Lecanto, Florida, is damaged after a tornado associated with Tropical Storm Debby passed through over the weekend. The slow mover has buffeted parts of Florida with driving rains and high winds as it hovered off the Gulf of Mexico. Hide Caption 6 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – The aftermath of a tornado on Sunday, June 24, leaves a building destroyed and vehicles damaged in Lecanto. Tropical Storm Debby has wreaked widespread havoc in Florida, dumping nearly 2 feet of rain in some areas. Hide Caption 7 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – Angela Kelly and her sons Ethan, 3, and Alex, 6, check out flooding damage in their St. Petersburg-area neighborhood Monday, June 25. Isolated parts of Florida could see 25 inches of rain from Debby. Hide Caption 8 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – Mike Foster uses caution tape Monday to rope off what's left of a roof on his employer's property after the storm hit Pass-A-Grille Beach, Florida. Hide Caption 9 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – A tree is seen uprooted by the winds of the storm. Hide Caption 10 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – Structural damage is apparent in Pass-A-Grille Beach after an apparent tornado Sunday night. Hide Caption 11 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – A worker begins removing debris Monday from damaged buildings in Pass-A-Grille Beach. Hide Caption 12 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – Jeff Higgins, manager of the Gulf Drive Cafe, inspects damage to his restaurant Monday as high winds associated with Debby batter Bradenton Beach, Florida. Hide Caption 13 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – Brittany Cheak, from left, Al Church and Angie Cheak help mop up inside the Seahorse Tavern & Restaurant on Monday in St. Pete Beach, Florida. Hide Caption 14 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – The Bradenton Beach Public Works Department's Tim Change takes photos of damage from boats hitting the pier after they broke free from their moorings. Hide Caption 15 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby deluges Florida Debby deluges Florida – Tropical Storm Debby appears in a satellite image on Tuesday, June 26. Forecasters warn Debby could bring another 8 inches of rain to northern Florida as it heads from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. Hide Caption 16 of 16 
  
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 "I told her it's on hold," said Pesek. That's because the home she and her husband have spent hours painstakingly renovating was underwater. 
  
 "It's on pilings," Larry Pesek said. "The water's never been that high before, that goes without saying. It's just heartbreaking because we've put so much time and effort into the house." 
  
 In Sopchoppy, authorities rescued 57 people from homes surrounded by rising water, said Keith Blackmar of the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office. 
  
 "It's astonishing. I've never seen anything like this," Blackmar said Tuesday. "Our soil is sandy, so it handles water well, but not this much rain." 
  
 "The water levels came up so fast some of the folks didn't have time to actually pack their things and move out, so they're having to do it after the fact," Wakulla County Undersheriff Maurice Langston told CNN. 
  
 Florida State University researcher Jeff Chanton said the area's low-lying terrain contributes to the misery. 
  
 "The coastal gradient -- the rise of the land -- is very, very low here," Chanton said. "If you were to go swimming here and walk out from shore, you could walk out half a mile." That means a relatively small storm surge can push water "tens or hundreds of feet onshore," he said. 
  
 "When you get a lot of rain, it tends to spread out," said Chanton, a geochemist. "So the rivers have large floodplains, and the water gets very wide when it gets wet like this." 
  
 Storm surges along Apalachee Bay were expected to run 2 to 4 feet, with 1- to 3-foot tidal flooding expected to the south, including Tampa Bay, the hurricane center said. 
  
 More than 26 inches of rain had been recorded in Sanborn, south of Tallahassee, by Tuesday morning. Nearby St. Marks saw nearly 22 inches. Other areas on the north side of Apalachee Bay clocked in with between 15 and 20 inches. 
  
 Flooding and at least one sinkhole cut off parts of Interstate 10, one of the state's major thoroughfares, state transportation officials reported. 
  
 The Suwannee River surged more than 25 feet in a day, rising from 55 feet deep at White Springs, west of Jacksonville, on Monday to nearly 81 feet on Tuesday afternoon. That's about 4 feet over flood stage. 
  
 "We have significant flooding problems," said Harvey Campbell, a spokesman for Columbia County's emergency operations center. "I have people who don't remember in their lifetime the kind of rain we had overnight." 
  
 In Pasco County, north of Tampa, authorities issued a mandatory evacuation order Tuesday for 2,000 homes along the Cotee River. Officials were traveling by boat and car to get the word out, and water was standing in some homes as of Tuesday, county spokesman Eric Keaton. 
  
 Another area river, the Anclote, was above flood stage on Tuesday, and water is not expected to recede for two days. A total of 106 homes in the county are reported damaged, Keaton said. 
  
 President Barack Obama called Florida Gov. Rick Scott Tuesday "to ensure the state had no unmet needs as the governor and his team continue to respond to extreme weather and flooding," the White House said. 
  
 Flooding was seen as far south as Fort Myers, where the Caloosahatchee River overflowed its banks into the downtown area. CNN iReporter Alex Butler, who is also a reporter at CNN affiliate WFTX, said normally there is a wall separating the land from the river, but the wall was underwater Tuesday. 
  
 Obama "expressed his condolences for the loss of life as well as the extensive damage to homes in Florida as a result of the storm, and reiterated that his administration -- through (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) -- would remain in close contact with the state as they continued to respond to this event and stood ready to provide additional assistance if necessary," the White House said. 
  
 At the state's request, a FEMA liaison officer was on site at the Florida state emergency operations center, according to the White House. 
  
 Scott declared a state of emergency Monday "so we can coordinate the use of all state resources to make sure we can respond promptly if anything happens." 
  
 Near Tampa, wildlife officials assessed weather conditions so they could assist a manatee calf whose mother was found dead. Residents tied the mother to a sea wall so the calf wouldn't leave its side. An adult male manatee was also staying with the mother and calf. 
  
 The calf's mother was moved, and officials discovered the calf was older than initially thought, so it was allowed to swim away into Tampa Bay, said Andy Garrette of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 
  
  ||||| Debby flooded homes, an animal shelter and closed parts of the main interstate highway across northern Florida on as the storm hung stubbornly offshore over the Gulf of Mexico, threatening up to two feet of rain in places. 
  
 Boats are sunken and thrown up on a dock at the Rock Landing Marina in Panacea, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. High winds and heavy rains spawned by the approaching Tropical Storm Debby caused the damage.... (Associated Press) 
  
 Mark Mitchell surveys the damage to boats at the Rock Landing Marina in Panacea, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. High winds and heavy rains spawned by the approaching Tropical Storm Debby caused the damage.... (Associated Press) 
  
 A pleasure boat sits battered and sunken at the Rock Landing Marina in Panacea, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. About a dozen boats were damaged by wind and rain from Tropical Storm Debby. (AP Photo/Dave... (Associated Press) 
  
 Mark Mitchell surveys the damage to the Posey's Dockside Cafe at the Rock Landing Marina in Panacea, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. High winds and heavy rains spawned by the approaching Tropical Storm... (Associated Press) 
  
 A Florida Highway Patrolman warns motorists about high water in Medart, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. Heavy rains from the approaching Tropical Storm Debby caused wind and rain damage. (AP Photo/Dave... (Associated Press) 
  
 Mark Mitchell surveys the damage to boats at the Rock Landing Marina in Panacea, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. High winds and heavy rains spawned by the approaching Tropical Storm Debby caused the damage.... (Associated Press) 
  
 Debby promised to bring more high winds, relentless rain and likely flooding to the already saturated state. It was forecast to cross Florida and head into the Atlantic on Thursday. 
  
 The storm was about 70 miles west of northwest Florida and moving east at 3 mph. Debby was weakening and had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph, barely a tropical storm. 
  
 The Florida Highway Patrol closed portions of Interstate 10 when troopers reported several areas of flooding on a roughly 50-mile stretch. Authorities warned motorists to use extreme caution on other parts of the highway. 
  
 Farther south, four puppies and a young dog drowned when a swollen creek flooded an animal shelter in the city of Starke. Officials placed sandbags and dug trenches outside to protect the shelter, but the water rose quickly Sunday night, The Florida Times-Union reported. 
  
 A manatee was found dead in the Tampa Bay area and wildlife crews were trying to rescue two others that had beached nearby. It wasn't immediately clear whether the storm contributed to the animals washing ashore. 
  
 Roads were washed out in the area and residents tried to salvage belongings from flooded homes in low-lying areas. At one point Monday, high winds and flooding worries prompted authorities to close two major routes over Tampa Bay into St. Petersburg. 
  
 Forecasters were expecting the rains to continue, bringing another 4 to 8 inches across northern Florida. The storm could also bring up to 10 inches of rain to southeastern Georgia. 
  
 At least one person was killed Sunday by a tornado spun off by the large storm system. 
  
 WFLA-TV reported that a young mother, Heather Town, died Sunday when her Highlands County home was lifted off its foundation and she and her baby girl were thrown into nearby woods. The mother was found clutching the child, who survived. 
  
 Alabama authorities searched for a South Carolina man who disappeared in the rough surf. 
  
 The bridge leading to St. George Island, a vacation spot along the Panhandle, was closed to everyone except residents, renters and business owners to keep looters out. The island had no power, and palm trees had been blown down, but roads were passable. 
  
 "Most true islanders are hanging in there because they know that you may or may not be able to get back to your home when you need to," said David Walker, an island resident having a beer at Eddy Teach's bar. He said he had been through many storms on the island and Debby was on the weaker end of the scale. 
  
 Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a statewide emergency, allowing authorities to put laws against price-gouging into effect and override bureaucratic hurdles to deal with the storm. 
  
 A tropical storm warning remained in effect Tuesday morning for about 450 miles of coastline, from Mexico Beach in the Panhandle to Englewood, south of Sarasota. 
  
 Forecasters cautioned that Debby is a large tropical cyclone spreading strong winds and heavy rains at great distances from its center. 
  
 People in several sparsely populated counties near the crook of Florida's elbow were urged to leave low-lying neighborhoods because of the danger of flooding. 
  
 ___ 
  
 Lush contributed from St. Petersburg. Associated Press writers Freida Frisaro and Christine Armario in Miami; Gary Fineout in Tallahassee, Fla.; and AP Auto Writer Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report. |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?
– Tropical Storm Debby is weakening and just barely keeping her name with winds about 40mph, but she's still not done with Florida, reports AP. Some areas could get about 2 feet of rain before Debby finally heads out into the Atlantic on Thursday, though most of northern Florida and southeast Georgia can expect 4 to 10 inches. Portions of Interstate 10 have been closed, and CNN says about 2,000 people along the Cotee River in Pasco County are under mandatory evacuation orders. The death toll stands at one, and authorities at an animal shelter in Sarke say four puppies and a dog drowned when the shelter flooded.
Berättelse belyser Debby, nu en tropisk depression, flyttar inåt landet över Florida Kraftiga regn sveper över låglänta kustnära lägenheter Suwannee River prognosticeras stiga 22 fot på en dag Översvämningar föranleder stängning av delar av Interstate 10 Tropiska Storm Debby skrumpna till en tropisk depression efter att ha slagit Florida på tisdag, men det fortfarande packade kraftiga regn som hotade att förvärra översvämningar längs Gulfkusten och inlandsstäder, prognostiserade. Debby stammade in på den sumpiga västkusten nära Steinhatchee, omkring 160 mil norr om Tampa, på tisdag eftermiddag meddelade National Hurricane Center. Men det beräknades dumpa ytterligare 4 till 8 tum nederbörd över området till och med onsdagskvällen, ovanpå de två meter som rapporterades i vissa städer söder om Tallahassee på tisdag. Dessutom orsakade stormar och tidvattenströmmar översvämningar så långt söderut som till Tampa Bay-området, och det är skulden för en död från en tornado som uppstod på söndagseftermiddagen i staden Venus, långt inåt landet. Från och med kl. 20.00. ET, Debby hade toppvindar på 35 mph. Den var centrerad cirka 50 miles väster om Gainesville, rör sig öst-nordöst på 6 mph och förväntades inte förlora mycket styrka när den korsade Florida halvön, prognostiserade. Tropiska stormvarningar upp och ner längs kusten släpptes när fördjupningen rörde sig inåt landet, men stormen lämnade högt vatten efter sig i flera städer när den passerade. I Sopchoppy, västerut över Apalachee Bay från landfallet platsen, Crystal Pesek sade att hon fick ett sms från sin syster tisdag morgon, frågar hur arbetet med hennes köksskåp gick. 16 foton: Foton: Debby floden Florida 16 foton: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Nödbesättningar arbetar scenen av en översvämmad gata, där Pasco County Sheriffens kontor Public Information Officer Doug Tobin bekräftar att de försöker hitta en oidentifierad kropp i New Port Richey, Florida, på onsdagen den 27 juni. Debby försvagades till en tropisk depression efter att den drev i land på Floridas Gulf Coast på tisdag. Dölj Bildtext 1 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – En bil kör på en översvämmad gata på tisdag, 26 juni, i New Port Richey, Florida. Invånarna förbereder sig för att ge sig av enligt en obligatorisk evakueringsorder. Enligt lokala rapporter har två flodområden konvergerat och överträffat den 100 år långa flodslätten. Dölj Bildtext 2 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – En mor och hennes barn förbereder evakuera New Port Richey, Florida, området. Dölj Bildtext 3 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Invånare i Mill Run området redo sina hem med sandsäckar som förberedelse för den ständigt annalkande stormen. Dölj Bildtext 4 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Doreen Ferrilo öppnar dörren till hennes översvämmade hem för att rädda vad hon kan innan hon måste evakuera. Dölj Bildtext 5 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Ett hus i Lecanto, Florida, skadas efter en tornado i samband med Tropical Storm Debby passerade över helgen. Den långsame dragaren har slagit till mot delar av Florida med drivande regn och höga vindar när den svävade utanför Mexikanska golfen. Dölj Bildtext 6 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Efterdyningarna av en tornado på söndag, 24 juni, lämnar en byggnad förstörd och fordon skadade i Lecanto. Tropiska stormen Debby har orsakat omfattande förödelse i Florida och dumpat nästan två meter regn i vissa områden. Dölj Bildtext 7 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Angela Kelly och hennes söner Ethan, 3, och Alex, 6, kolla översvämningsskador i deras St Petersburg-område grannskapet måndag, 25 juni. Enstaka delar av Florida kunde se 25 tum regn från Debby. Dölj Bildtext 8 av 16 16 foton: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Mike Foster använder försiktighet tejp måndag för att repa av vad som är kvar av ett tak på sin arbetsgivares egendom efter stormen drabbade Pass-A-Grille Beach, Florida. Dölj Bildtext 9 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Ett träd ses uppryckt av stormens vindar. Dölj Bildtext 10 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Strukturella skador är uppenbar i Pass-A-Grille Beach efter en skenbar tornado söndag kväll. Dölj Bildtext 11 av 16 16 foton: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – En arbetare börjar ta bort skräp måndag från skadade byggnader i Pass-A-Grille Beach. Dölj Bildtext 12 av 16 16 foton: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Jeff Higgins, chef för Gulf Drive Cafe, inspekterar skador på sin restaurang måndag som höga vindar i samband med Debby slagmannen Bradenton Beach, Florida. Dölj Bildtext 13 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Bretagne Cheak, från vänster, Al Church och Angie Cheak hjälpa moppa upp inne i Seahorse Tavern & Restaurant på måndag i St Pete Beach, Florida. Dölj Bildtext 14 av 16 16 foton: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Bradenton Beach Public Works Departments Tim Change tar bilder av skador från båtar som slår i piren efter att de brutit sig loss från sina förtöjningar. Dölj Bildtext 15 av 16 16 bilder: Foton: Debby floden Florida Debby floden Florida – Tropiska stormen Debby visas i en satellitbild på tisdag 26 juni. Prognoser varnar Debby för att ta med sig ytterligare 8 tum regn till norra Florida, när det drar från Mexikanska golfen till Atlanten. Dölj Bild 16 av 16 BARA VITTNA Debby hammare Florida Panhandle Replay Fler videos ... MÅSTE VATTNA Debby hammare Florida Panhandle 01:54 BARA VITTNA Debby lekar tornados i Florida Replay Fler videos ... MÅSTE VATTNA Debby lekar tornados i Florida 01:14 BARA VATTNA Debby producerar waterspout Replay Fler videos ... MÅSTE VATTNA Debby producerar waterspout 01:07 "Jag sa till henne att det är på is on item," sade Pesek. Det beror på att hemmet hon och hennes man har tillbringat timmar med att omsorg renovera var under vatten. "Det är pålar", sa Larry Pesek. "Vattnet har aldrig varit så högt förr, det säger sig självt. Det är bara hjärtskärande eftersom vi har lagt ner så mycket tid och ansträngning i huset." I Sopchoppy räddade myndigheterna 57 personer från hem omgivna av stigande vatten, sade Keith Blackmar vid Wakulla County Sheriff's Office. "Det är häpnadsväckande. Jag har aldrig sett något liknande," sade Blackmar tisdagen. "Vår jord är sandig, så den hanterar vatten bra, men inte så mycket regn." "Vattennivåerna steg så snabbt att en del av folket inte hade tid att packa sina saker och flytta ut, så de måste göra det efter det faktum," Wakulla County Undersheriff Maurice Langston berättade CNN. Florida State University-forskaren Jeff Chanton sade att områdets låglänta terräng bidrar till misären. "Kustgradienten -- landhöjningen -- är mycket, mycket låg här", sade Chanton. "Om du skulle bada här och gå ut från stranden, kunde du gå ut en halv mil." Det betyder att en relativt liten stormvåg kan skjuta vatten "tio- eller hundrafots på land", sade han. "När man får mycket regn, tenderar det att breda ut sig", sade Chanton, en geokemist. "Så floderna har stora flodslätter, och vattnet blir mycket brett när det blir blött så här." Stormvågor längs Apalachee Bay förväntades köra 2 till 4 fot, med 1 till 3 fot tidvatten översvämningar förväntas i söder, inklusive Tampa Bay, orkancentret sade. Mer än 20 centimeter regn hade registrerats i Sanborn, söder om Tallahassee, på tisdagsmorgonen. I närheten såg St. Marks nästan 22 tum. Andra områden på norra sidan av Apalachee Bay klockas in med mellan 15 och 20 inches. Översvämningar och minst ett slukhål avstyckade delar av Interstate 10, en av delstatens större genomfartsleder, statliga transporttjänstemän rapporterade. Suwanneefloden forsade mer än 25 fot på en dag och steg från 55 meters djup vid White Springs, väster om Jacksonville, på måndagen till nästan 81 fot på tisdagseftermiddagen. Det är ungefär fyra meter över översvämningsstadiet. "Vi har betydande översvämningsproblem", sade Harvey Campbell, en talesman för Columbia Countys akutcentral. "Jag har folk som inte minns hur det regnade över en natt." I Pasco County, norr om Tampa, utfärdade myndigheterna en obligatorisk evakueringsorder tisdag för 2.000 bostäder längs Coteefloden. Tjänstemän reste med båt och bil för att få ut ordet, och vatten stod i vissa hem från och med tisdag, countyt talesman Eric Keaton. Ett annat område, Ankloten, låg ovanför översvämningsstadiet på tisdagen, och vatten förväntas inte dra sig tillbaka på två dagar. Totalt 106 bostäder i countyt rapporteras skadade, sade Keaton. President Barack Obama kallade Florida Gov. Rick Scott tisdag "för att säkerställa att staten hade inga ouppfyllda behov som guvernören och hans team fortsätter att svara på extrema väder och översvämningar," Vita huset sade. Översvämningar sågs så långt söderut som Fort Myers, där Caloosahatcheefloden svämmar över sina bräddar in i centrumområdet. CNN iReporter Alex Butler, som också är reporter på CNN affiliate WFTX, sade normalt finns det en vägg som skiljer marken från floden, men väggen var under vattnet tisdag. Obama "uttryckte sina kondoleanser för förlusten av liv samt de omfattande skadorna på hemmen i Florida till följd av stormen, och upprepade att hans administration -- genom (den federala Emergency Management Agency) -- skulle förbli i nära kontakt med staten som de fortsatte att svara på denna händelse och stod redo att ge ytterligare bistånd vid behov," sade Vita Huset. På delstatens begäran var en FEMA-sambandsofficer på plats vid Floridas statliga beredskapscentral, enligt Vita huset. Scott utlyste undantagstillstånd måndag "så vi kan samordna användningen av alla statliga medel för att se till att vi kan svara snabbt om något händer." I närheten av Tampa bedömde myndigheterna för vilda djur väderförhållanden så att de kunde bistå en manatekalv vars mor hittades död. Invånarna band fast modern vid en sjömur så att kalven inte skulle lämna sin sida. En vuxen manaté höll också till hos modern och kalven. Kalvens mor flyttades, och tjänstemän upptäckte att kalven var äldre än man först trodde, så det var tillåtet att simma iväg in i Tampa Bay, sade Andy Garrette vid Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Debby översvämmade hem, ett djurhem och slutna delar av den stora motorvägen tvärs över norra Florida, medan stormen envist hängde utanför kusten över Mexikanska golfen och hotade med upp till två meter regn på sina platser. Båtar sänks och kastas upp på en brygga vid Rock Landing Marina i Panacea, Fla., tisdagen den 26 juni 2012. Höga vindar och kraftiga regn som uppstod av den annalkande Tropiska stormen Debby orsakade skadorna.... (Associated Press) Mark Mitchell undersöker skadorna på båtar på Rock Landing Marina i Panacea, Fla., tisdag, 26 juni 2012. Höga vindar och kraftiga regn som uppstod av den annalkande Tropiska stormen Debby orsakade skadan.... (Associated Press) En fritidsbåt sitter slagen och sjunken på Rock Landing Marina i Panacea, Fla., tisdag, 26 juni 2012. Ett tiotal båtar skadades av vind och regn från Tropical Storm Debby. (AP Photo/Dave... (Associated Press) Mark Mitchell undersöker skadorna på Posey's Dockside Cafe på Rock Landing Marina i Panacea, Fla., tisdag, 26 juni 2012. Höga vindar och kraftiga regn som uppstår av den annalkande Tropiska stormen... (Associated Press) En Florida Highway Patrolman varnar bilister för högvatten i Medart, Fla., tisdag, 26 juni 2012. Kraftiga regn från den annalkande Tropiska stormen Debby orsakade vind- och regnskador. (AP Photo/Dave... (Associated Press) Mark Mitchell undersöker skador på båtar på Rock Landing Marina i Panacea, Fla., tisdag, 26 juni 2012. Höga vindar och kraftiga regn som uppstod av den annalkande Tropiska stormen Debby orsakade skadorna.... (Associated Press) Debby lovade att föra med sig fler starka vindar, obevekligt regn och sannolikt översvämningar till det redan mättade tillståndet. Den skulle korsa Florida och ge sig ut i Atlanten på torsdag. Stormen var cirka 70 miles väster om nordvästra Florida och rör sig österut på 3 mph. Debby försvagades och hade maximalt ihållande vindar nära 40 mph, knappt en tropisk storm. Florida Highway Patrol stängde delar av Interstate 10 när trupper rapporterade flera områden av översvämningar på en cirka 50-mile sträcka. Myndigheterna varnade bilisterna för att vara ytterst försiktiga på andra delar av motorvägen. Längre söderut drunknade fyra valpar och en ung hund när en svullen bäck översvämmade ett djurhärbärge i staden Starke. Tjänstemän placerade sandsäckar och grävde skyttegravar utanför för att skydda skyddsrummet, men vattnet steg snabbt söndag kväll, The Florida Times-Union rapporterade. En manate hittades död i Tampa Bay-området och djurbesättningar försökte rädda två andra som hade strandat i närheten. Det stod inte omedelbart klart om stormen bidrog till att djuren spolades i land. Vägar spolades ut i området och invånarna försökte bärga tillhörigheter från översvämmade bostäder i låglänta områden. Vid ett tillfälle på måndagen fick höga vindar och översvämningar myndigheterna att stänga två större rutter över Tampabukten in i Sankt Petersburg. Prognoser väntade sig att regnen skulle fortsätta, vilket medförde ytterligare 4 till 8 tum över norra Florida. Stormen kunde också föra upp till 10 tum regn till sydöstra Georgien. Minst en person dödades söndagen av en tornado som snurrades av det stora stormsystemet. WFLA-TV rapporterade att en ung mor, Heather Town, avled söndagen då hennes Highlands County-hem lyftes från sin grund och hon och hennes lilla flicka kastades in i närliggande skog. Man fann modern som höll om barnet, som överlevde. Alabamas myndigheter sökte efter en South Carolina-man som försvann i de tuffa vågorna. Bron som ledde till St George Island, en semesterplats längs Panhandle, stängdes för alla utom invånare, hyresgäster och affärsägare för att hålla plundrare ute. Ön hade ingen makt, och palmer hade sprängts ner, men vägar var gångbara. "De flesta sanna öbor hänger kvar där eftersom de vet att du kanske eller kanske inte kan komma tillbaka till ditt hem när du behöver," sade David Walker, en öbo som tar en öl på Eddy Teachs bar. Han sa att han hade varit med om många stormar på ön och Debby var på den svagare änden av skalan. Florida Gov. Rick Scott utlyste en statsomfattande nödsituation, vilket gjorde det möjligt för myndigheter att sätta lagar mot prisutjämning i kraft och överskrida byråkratiska hinder för att hantera stormen. En tropisk stormvarning fortsatte att gälla tisdag morgon i omkring 450 kilometers kustlinje, från Mexico Beach i Panhandle till Englewood, söder om Sarasota. Prognoser varnade för att Debby är en stor tropisk cyklon som sprider starka vindar och kraftiga regn på stora avstånd från dess centrum. Människor i flera glesbefolkade grevskap nära skurken i Floridas armbåge uppmanades att lämna låglänta stadsdelar på grund av risken för översvämningar. Lush bidrog från Sankt Petersburg. Till denna rapport bidrog associerade pressskribenter Freida Frisaro och Christine Armario i Miami; Gary Fineout i Tallahassee, Fla.; och AP Auto Writer Dee-Ann Durbin i Detroit. Vad är en sammanfattning av ovanstående artikel?
Story highlights Debby, now a tropical depression, moving inland across Florida Heavy rains sweep across low-lying coastal apartments Suwannee River predicted to rise 22 feet in a day Floods prompt closure of parts of Interstate 10 Tropical Storm Debby shrivel into a tropical depression after beating Florida on Tuesday, but it still packed heavy rains threatening to exacerbate flooding along the Gulf coast and inland cities, forecast. Debby stuttered into the swampy west coast near Steinhatchee, about 1,000 miles north of Tampa, on Tuesday afternoon the National Hurricane Center announced. But it was estimated to dump another 4 to 8 inches of rainfall over the area through Wednesday night, atop the two meters reported in some cities south of Tallahassee on Tuesday. In addition, storms and tidal currents caused flooding as far south as the Tampa Bay area, and it is the blame for a death from a tornado that occurred on Sunday afternoon in the city of Venus, far inland. From 8:00 p.m. ET, Debby had top winds of 35 mph. It was centered about 50 miles west of Gainesville, moving east-northeast at 6 mph and was not expected to lose much strength when it crossed the Florida peninsula, forecasting. Tropical storm warnings up and down the coast were released as the depression moved inland, but the storm left high water behind in several cities as it passed. In Sopchoppy, west over Apalachee Bay from the landfall site, Crystal Pesek said she received a text message from her sister Tuesday morning, asking how work on her kitchen cabinet went. 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – Emergency crews work the scene of a flooded street, where Pasco County Sheriff's office Public Information Officer Doug Tobin confirms that they are trying to find an unidentified body in New Port Richey, Florida, on Wednesday, June 27. Debby weakened to a tropical depression after it drifted ashore on Florida's Gulf Coast on Tuesday. Hide Caption 1 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – A car drives on a flooded street on Tuesday, June 26, in New Port Richey, Florida. Residents are preparing to leave according to a mandatory evacuation order. According to local reports, two river basins have converged and surpassed the 100-year floodplain. Hide Caption 2 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – A mother and her children are preparing to evacuate New Port Richey, Florida, area. Hide Caption 3 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – Residents of the Mill Run area ready their homes with sandbags in preparation for the ever-coming storm. Hide Caption 4 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – Doreen Ferrilo opens the door to her flooded home to save what she can before she has to evacuate. Hide Caption 5 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – A house in Lecanto, Florida, damaged after a tornado in connection with Tropical Storm Debby passed over the weekend. The slow drafter has struck parts of Florida with drifting rain and high winds as it soared off the Gulf of Mexico. Hide Caption 6 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – The aftermath of a tornado on Sunday, June 24, leaving a building destroyed and vehicles damaged in Lecanto. Tropical Storm Debby has caused widespread devastation in Florida and dumped nearly two meters of rain in some areas. Hide Caption 7 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – Angela Kelly and her sons Ethan, 3, and Alex, 6, check flood damage in their St. Petersburg area neighborhood Monday, June 25. Single parts of Florida could see 25 inches of rain from Debby. Hide Caption 8 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – Mike Foster uses careful tape Monday to scratch off what is left of a roof on his employer's property after the storm hit Pass-A-Grille Beach, Florida. Hide Caption 9 of 16 16 pictures: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – A tree is seen uprooted by the winds of the storm. Hide Caption 10 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – Structural damage is evident in Pass-A-Grille Beach after an apparent tornado Sunday night. Hide Caption 11 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – A worker begins removing debris Monday from damaged buildings in Pass-A-Grille Beach. Hide Caption 12 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – Jeff Higgins, head of the Gulf Drive Cafe, inspects damage to his restaurant Monday as high winds associated with Debby batter Bradenton Beach, Florida. Hide Caption 13 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – Brittany Cheak, from the left, Al Church and Angie Cheak help mop up inside the Seahorse Tavern & Restaurant on Monday in St. Pete Beach, Florida. Hide Caption 14 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – Bradenton Beach Public Works Departments Tim Change takes pictures of damage from boats hitting the pier after they break free from their moorings. Hide Caption 15 of 16 16 photos: Photos: Debby River Florida Debby River Florida – Tropical Storm Debby appears in a satellite image on Tuesday 26 June. Forecasts warn Debby to bring another 8 inch of rain to northern Florida, as it draws from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. Hide Image 16 of 16 ONLY WITNESSING Debby hammer Florida Panhandle Replay More videos ... MUST WATER Debby hammer Florida Panhandle 01:54 ONLY WITNESSING Debby games tornadoes in Florida Replay More videos ... MUST WATER Debby games tornadoes in Florida 01:14 ONLY WATER DEBY produces waterspout Replay More videos ... MUST WATER NA Debby produces waterspout 01:07 "I told her it's on hold," said Pesek. This is because the home she and her husband have spent hours caring for renovations was underwater. "It's stakes," said Larry Pesek. "The water has never been so high before, it goes without saying. It's just heartbreaking because we've put so much time and effort into the house." In Sopchoppy, authorities rescued 57 people from homes surrounded by rising waters, said Keith Blackmar of the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office. "It's amazing. I've never seen anything like it," said Blackmar Tuesday. "Our soil is sandy, so it handles water well, but not so much rain." "Water levels rose so fast that some of the people didn't have time to pack their things and move out, so they have to do it after the fact," Wakulla County Undersheriff Maurice Langston told CNN. Florida State University researcher Jeff Chanton said the low-lying terrain of the area contributes to the misery. "The coast gradient -- the land elevation -- is very, very low here," Chanton said. "If you were to swim here and walk out of the beach, you could go out half a mile." This means that a relatively small storm wave can shoot water "ten- or hundred feet on land," he said. "When you get a lot of rain, it tends to spread out," said Chanton, a geochemist. "So the rivers have great flood plains, and the water becomes very wide when it gets wet like this." Storm waves along Apalachee Bay were expected to run 2 to 4 feet, with 1 to 3 feet of tidal flooding expected in the south, including Tampa Bay, the hurricane center said. More than 20 centimeters of rain had been recorded in Sanborn, south of Tallahassee, on Tuesday morning. Nearby saw St. Marks almost 22 inches. Other areas on the north side of Apalachee Bay are clocked in with between 15 and 20 inches. Floods and at least one sinkhole cut off parts of Interstate 10, one of the state's major thoroughfare routes, state transport officials reported. The Suwannee River gushed more than 25 feet in a day and rose from 55 meters deep at White Springs, west of Jacksonville, on Monday to nearly 81 feet on Tuesday afternoon. It is about four meters above the flood stage. "We have significant flood problems," said Harvey Campbell, a spokesman for Columbia County Emergency Center. "I have people who don't remember how it rained overnight." In Pasco County, north of Tampa, authorities issued a mandatory evacuation order Tuesday for 2,000 homes along the Cotee River. Officials traveled by boat and car to get the word out, and water stood in some homes as of Tuesday, county spokesman Eric Keaton. Another area, the Anclot, was above the flood stage on Tuesday, and water is not expected to retire in two days. A total of 106 homes in the county are reported injured, Keaton said. President Barack Obama called Florida Gov. Rick Scott Tuesday "to ensure that the state had no unmet needs as the governor and his team continue to respond to extreme weather and flooding," the White House said. Floods were seen as far south as Fort Myers, where the Caloosahatchee River overflows its banks into the downtown area. CNN iReporter Alex Butler, who is also a reporter on CNN affiliate WFTX, said normally there is a wall separating the ground from the river, but the wall was underwater Tuesday. Obama "expressed his condolences for the loss of life as well as the extensive damage to homes in Florida as a result of the storm, repeating that his administration -- through (the federal Emergency Management Agency) -- would remain in close contact with the state as they continued to respond to this incident and stood ready to provide further assistance if necessary," said the White House. At the state's request, a FEMA liaison officer was on the scene at the Florida State Emergency Response Centre, according to the White House. Scott declared a state of emergency Monday "so we can coordinate the use of all government funds to ensure that we can respond quickly if anything happens." Near Tampa, authorities assessed wild animal weather conditions so that they could assist a manatee calf whose mother was found dead. The inhabitants tied the mother to a sea wall so that the calf would not leave its side. A grown manatee also stayed with the mother and calf. The calf's mother was moved, and officials discovered that the calf was older than initially thought, so it was allowed to swim away into Tampa Bay, said Andy Garrette of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Debby flooded homes, an animal shelter, and enclosed portions of the large highway across northern Florida, while the storm stubbornly hung off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and threatened up to two metres of rain in its places. Boats are sunk and thrown onto a dock at Rock Landing Marina in Panacea, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. High winds and heavy rains that arose from the approaching Tropical Storm Debby caused the damage.... (Associated Press) Mark Mitchell investigates the damage to boats at the Rock Landing Marina in Panacea, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. High winds and heavy rains that arose from the approaching Tropical Storm Debby caused the damage.... (Associated Press) A recreational boat sits beaten and sunk at the Rock Landing Marina in Panacea, Fla., Tuesday, 26 June 2012. About ten boats were damaged by wind and rain from Tropical Storm Debby. (AP Photo/Dave... (Associated Press) Mark Mitchell investigates the damage to Posey's Dockside Cafe at Rock Landing Marina in Panacea, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. High winds and heavy rains arising from the approaching Tropical Storm... (Associated Press) A Florida Highway Patrolman warns motorists of high tide in Medart, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. Heavy rains from the approaching Tropical Storm Debby caused wind and rain damage. (AP Photo/Dave... (Associated Press) Mark Mitchell investigates damage to boats at Rock Landing Marina in Panacea, Fla., Tuesday, June 26, 2012. High winds and heavy rains that arose from the approaching Tropical Storm Debby caused the damage.... (Associated Press) Debby promised to bring more strong winds, relentless rain and likely flooding to the already saturated state. It was supposed to cross Florida and head out into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday. The storm was about 70 miles west of northwestern Florida and moving east at 3 mph. Debby weakened and had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph, barely a tropical storm. Florida Highway Patrol closed parts of Interstate 10 when troops reported several areas of flooding on an approximately 50-mile stretch. Authorities warned motorists not to be extremely careful on other parts of the highway. Further south, four puppies and a young dog drowned when a swollen stream flooded an animal shelter in the city of Starke. Officials placed sandbags and dug trenches outside to protect the shelter, but the water rose rapidly Sunday night, The Florida Times-Union reported. A manatee was found dead in the Tampa Bay area and livestock tried to save two others who had beached nearby. It was not immediately clear whether the storm contributed to the ashore flushing of the animals. Roads were flushed into the area and residents attempted to salvage belongings from flooded homes in low-lying areas. On one occasion on Monday, high winds and flooding caused authorities to close two major routes across the Gulf of Tampa into St. Petersburg. Forecasts expected the rains to continue, bringing another 4 to 8 inches across northern Florida. The storm could also bring up to 10 inches of rain to southeastern Georgia. At least one person was killed Sunday by a tornado spun by the large storm system. WFLA-TV reported that a young mother, Heather Town, died Sunday when her Highlands County home was lifted from its foundation and she and her little girl were thrown into nearby forest. The mother was found holding the child, who survived. Alabama authorities searched for a South Carolina man who disappeared in the rough waves. The bridge leading to St. George Island, a holiday site along Panhandle, was closed to everyone except residents, tenants and business owners to keep looters out. The island had no power, and palm trees had been blown down, but roads were walkable. "Most true islanders hang around there because they know you might or may not be able to get back to your home when you need," said David Walker, an islander who takes a beer at Eddy Teach's bar. He said he had experienced many storms on the island and Debby was on the weaker end of the scale. Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced a statewide emergency, allowing authorities to put laws against price equalisation into effect and transcend bureaucratic obstacles to dealing with the storm. A tropical storm warning continued to apply Tuesday morning for about 450 kilometers of coastline, from Mexico Beach, Panhandle, to Englewood, south of Sarasota. Forecasters warned that Debby is a large tropical cyclone that spreads strong winds and heavy rains at large distances from its center. People in several sparsely populated counties near the villain of Florida's elbow were urged to leave low-lying neighborhoods due to the risk of flooding. Lush contributed from St. Petersburg. Associated press writers Freida Frisaro and Christine Armario in Miami; Gary Fineout in Tallahassee, Fla.; and AP Auto Writer Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report. What is a summary of the above article?
– Tropisk storm Debby försvagas och bara knappt behålla sitt namn med vindar ca 40mph, men hon är fortfarande inte klar med Florida, rapporterar AP. Vissa områden kan få ungefär 2 fot regn innan Debby slutligen ger sig ut i Atlanten på torsdag, men de flesta av norra Florida och sydöstra Georgia kan förvänta 4 till 10 tum. Delar av Interstate 10 har stängts, och CNN säger att cirka 2 000 personer längs Coteefloden i Pasco County är under obligatoriska evakueringsorder. Dödssiffran ligger på en, och myndigheter på ett djurhem i Sarke säger fyra valpar och en hund drunknade när skyddsrummet översvämmades.
“Tropical storm Debby weakens and just barely retain her name with winds about 40mph, but she is still not finished with Florida,” reports AP. Some areas may receive about 2 feet of rain before Debby finally sets out into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, but most of northern Florida and southeastern Georgia can expect 4 to 10 inches. Parts of Interstate 10 have been closed, and CNN says that approximately 2,000 people along the Cotee River in Pasco County are under mandatory evacuation orders. The death toll is on one, and authorities in an animal shelter in Sarke say four puppies and a dog drowned when the shelter was flooded.