LAKE CITY, Fla. – Emergency Management officials said Monday that Tropical Storm Debby did $20 million in damage to Columbia County infrastructure alone, and that doesn't include the cost to repair or replace 400 homes that sustained flood damage.
While Debby's rains ended five days ago and the high water has receded in many areas, some homes off County Road 242 were still under water Monday.
Despite Monday's oppressive heat and humidity, homeowners and emergency workers in Columbia County did not let up in efforts to clean up damage.
Veronica Tyrrell knows standing water in this heat means more bad news for her sister's home.
"We know the house is going to be filled with mosquitoes even though all the windows are closed because there's about two feet inside the house already," Tyrrell said.
Chiquita Burnell says things in her house are just baking in the sun and the walls inside are turning black from mold and bacteria.
"As of right now, you can't get in the house," Burnell said. "I have asthma real bad, and you can't even hardly breathe in there because the mold and stuff is just so bad in there."
Homeowners sweated it out and hauled big pieces of debris to dumpsters set up throughout the county. Harvey Campbell with the Emergency Operations Center says there are still 100 roads closed to traffic.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the largest detours were on State Road 247 near County Road 240; C.R. 240 north and Market Road to the south. U.S. 441 is still under water and impassable in front of Columbia High School.
"There certainly are people suffering, frustrated with us. we understand that," Campbell said. "We accept it, but we also have our sleeves rolled up and are working around the clock."
Catholic Charities has set up has disaster relief stations around the county and is passing out free bottled water, offering some comfort to those how have lost so much.