County and city offices will be closed Wednesday in Putnam County with the potential of heavy rainfall ahead of Tropical Storm Elsa.
Palatka Mayor Terrill Hill declared a state of emergency in the city Tuesday, as did other Putnam municipalities. Putnam County commissioners declared a state of emergency Monday.
Putnam remained under a flood watch Tuesday evening, with rainfall expected to begin early Wednesday. The National Weather Service in Jacksonville said rainfall amounts of 3-5 inches was possible in Northeast Florida.
Tropical Storm Elsa is expected to strengthen to a hurricane before making landfall Wednesday on the Gulf Coast in North Florida, the National Hurricane Center said Tuesday afternoon. The center shows it likely downgrading back to a tropical storm by the time it reaches Putnam.
According to Putnam County Emergency Management, there are no plans to close the Memorial Bridge connecting Palatka and East Palatka. None of the county’s six storm shelters were opened Tuesday.
Florida Power & Light and Seminole Electric, which both serve customers in Putnam, said they have personnel ready to respond to power outages.
County officials said because of the ground being saturated from recent rainfall, there is the potential for downed trees.
The county's Emergency Operations Center is activated for emergency calls. The center can be reached at 329-1904.