Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Monday for Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties as heavy rainfall and flooding continued to affect parts of the Treasure Coast.
The three Treasure Coast counties are among seven covered by Executive Order 26-227. The declaration also includes Brevard, DeSoto, Hardee and Highlands counties.
The governor's office said flooding has affected and could continue to affect critical infrastructure, including state and county roads, major interstates, airports and schools. Additional heavy rain and thunderstorms were also forecast, potentially worsening flooding in already affected areas.
READ THE FULL EXECUTIVE ORDER BELOW:
The declaration gives state and local officials additional authority and resources to respond to the flooding. It authorizes the state coordinating officer to carry out response, recovery and mitigation efforts, including logistical, rescue and evacuation operations. The order also allows the Florida National Guard and Florida State Guard to be activated as needed.
The order gives the Florida Department of Transportation authority to close roads or manage traffic when necessary and allows tolls to be waived if neede...