PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Floodwater from Hurricane Debby washed out a large section of a newly reconstructed bridge on Sunday which connects the Silk Oak Lodge mobile home park in the Clearwater area.

What You Need To Know

  • Hurricane Debby washed out nearly half of the bridge 

  • The bridge connects the east and west side of the Silk Oak Lodge community  

  • Residents said the mobile home park clubhouse was flooded 

  • Park management has hired a state-licensed civil engineer who is assessing the bridge damage 

“At this point, there is no traffic between the two sides of our park,” said resident Dawn McCowan, 55. “Which has impacted anybody on the other side coming to the pool, and now I don’t have access to Belcher.”

Resident Elaine Diaz shot video of the floodwater in the Curlew Creek culvert flowing over the bridge which looked like a waterfall. Debby washed out nearly half of the bridge, some fencing and underground plumbing.

McCowan said the bridge had just reopened two weeks ago after it had been damaged by a storm earlier this year. She said it took about six weeks for the last repair but predicts this time it will take longer because there’s more damage.

“I’m guessing six to eight weeks for sure,” she said. “It’s a lot worse than it was last time.”

Park management officials said they hired a state-licensed civil engineer who is assessing the damage and will make recommendations for repairs.

“We will be working with our contractors and state and local authorities to make the needed repairs to the bridge,” stated spokeswoman Jennifer Ludovice. “The timeline for repairs is still to be determined.”

Ludovice said the Silk Oak Lodge Park has not gotten reports of any mobile homes being flooded.

Resident Gaby Brown lives near the creek and shot video of floodwater inside her lanai but said her home, which is more elevated, remained dry.

Brown also shot video of floodwater inside the clubhouse and said “flooded as usual.”

McCowan said the clubhouse floods during heavy thunderstorms.

“This time it’s flooded a lot worse,” she said. “When they have to close our clubhouse, then in turn, they close our pool because our bathroom facilities are in our clubhouse.”

McCowan said the park hosts a food pantry at the clubhouse twice a month which some residents depend on.

“Without being able to have it open we have no way to host the food pantry,” she said. “People count on that.”  

Ludovice said while the bridge is closed, residents can access either side of the park by using Belcher Road or U.S. Highway 19 N.

“With this closure, residents located in the east side of the community can access the amenities in the community by driving around to the other side,” she stated. “We are working diligently to complete the necessary repairs and look forward to reopening the bridge as quickly as possible.”