Debby Déjà vu? 2012 rainmaker drenched Florida, flooded homes and spawned skeeters

In 2012, a different Debby drenched Florida.

Like the Tropical Storm Debby of today , the storm had a statewide impact.

While the impact of modern day Debby isn't yet clear, the 2012 Debby "destroyed homes and businesses, washed away roads and flooded neighborhoods in Florida before the once-large tropical storm drifted out to sea, leaving behind a sopping mess," according to the Associated Press at the time.

"At least three people were killed in the storm," the AP wrote the day after landfall. "More than 100 homes and businesses were flooded" and officials warned the waters would not recede until a week later in some places.

All told, the storm caused $42 million in damages and was blamed for eight deaths, including six drownings and one death in a Lake Placid tornado, according to the Tallahassee Democrat archives.

From June 24 to June 27, 2012, the storm meandered over the northern Gulf and northeast Florida and left hundreds of thousands without power.

But mostly it was a rainmaker that caused rivers to surge over their banks.

In Wakulla County, more than 400 homes were left with severe damage from the tannin waters, while in Suwannee County, portions of Interstate 10 and Highway 90 remained underwater for several days while more than 120 roads were washed out and left impassable in the county.

That storm brought 28 inches of rain to Wakulla County, causing the Sopchoppy River to swell beyond measurable levels, leaving houses submerged to their roofs and standing water across the region for months.

Storm decimated turtle nests and spawned a mosquito scourge

The day before Tropical Storm Debby started her days-long deluge less than halfway into the sea turtle nesting season, Franklin County already had recorded an all-time season record of 35 nests.

But by the time the skies cleared, almost all were gone — completely washed away by three days of heavy surf.

"As far as survival is concerned, I think it is a total loss," said Bill Wargo, then head of the Alligator Point Turtle Patrol, at the time.

A week after the storm clouds from Tropical Storm Debby departed, they were replaced by another kind of dark cloud in Wakulla County — mosquitoes.

"Oh my God, they are absolutely horrendous," then Sheriff's Office spokesman Keith Blackmar said at the time.

During his usual lunchtime walk, Blackmar said he stopped for just a minute to send his wife a quick text message and was immediately swarmed. He cut his walk short.

"They are bad," he said. "They are all over the place."

Debbys over the years: Is it Tropical Storm Debby or Debbie? A look at the previous Debby/Debbie/Debra storms

Debby by the numbers

Wakulla County impact

• 317 individuals registered for assistance

• $343,401 disbursed for housing assistance

• $56,408 disbursed for other-needs assistance

• 413 structures affected

Individual Assistance

• 6,306 registered

• $4,889,002.69 disbursed from an approved $9,360,903.80

Public assistance( 35 counties eligible ) - $87,208,600 estimated costs statewide, including:

• Franklin, $2.68 million

• Gulf, $6.34 million

• Jefferson, $6.79 million

• Leon, $351,000

• Liberty, $466,000

• Madison, $626,000

• Suwannee, $9.47 million

• Taylor, $117,000

• Union, $881,000

• Wakulla, $3.57 million

• State of Florida projected costs, $14,234,417

Deaths

• Confirmed fatalities: 8

• (1 Columbia; 1 Highlands; 1 Lake; 1 Madison; 1 Pasco; 2 Pinellas; 1 Polk)

Rescues

• 17 water rescues and 67 people rescued in Franklin and Wakulla counties

• 75 rescued in Pasco County

• 145 rescued in Hamilton, Suwannee, Columbia and Baker counties

River flood crests

• Two rivers reached record-breaking crests

• Sopchoppy, 36.8

• St. Marys, 24.4 feet.

Rainfall

• Wakulla County, 28-plus inches

• Suwannee County, 15-plus inches

Aid provided

• American Red Cross served 22,425 meals and 90,610 snacks.

• The Salvation Army served 11,716 meals and 5,731 snacks

• To date 22,501 comfort kits and 7,974 clean-up kits have been provided (Red Cross and Salvation Army).

• The Florida Association of Food Banks has provided 104,029 food boxes and 1,640 units of mosquito repellant to survivors throughout this event.

SBA Applications

• 3,802 Small Business Association applications issued. 150 received and one approved.

Volunteers

• 1,618 volunteers worked 11,312 hours, service valued at an estimated $211,082.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 2012 Tropical Storm Debby deluged Florida, left deaths and destruction