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DONG-PHUONG NGUYEN and LETITIA STEINAnxiety hangs thick throughout the county as officials and residents take stock of one storm while dreading another.
TAMPA - As the county tried to add up the bill from Frances on Thursday, Ivan lurked around the corner, rattling some nerves.
"I had hoped we wouldn't have to do this again," said Hillsborough County Administrator Pat Bean as she stood before county commissioners and other elected leaders and declared yet another state of emergency. "But here we are."
Even Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, usually so composed, showed signs of anxiety.
Before Thursday's meeting, county emergency manager Larry Gispert handed Iorio a map with the 11 a.m. National Hurricane Center forecast, which had Ivan's projected path looming much closer to Tampa Bay than the forecast of six hours earlier.
"This is a Charley scenario," Gispert said. "Same track."
Iorio grimaced. "Can you not be so grim? Please?"
"Well," Gispert replied, "I'm just trying to be direct."
The thought of Ivan pummeling the area right on top of the bruises Frances left sent shudders through residents still cleaning up from last weekend. As of Thursday afternoon, 10,000 Tampa Electric customers were still waiting to have power restored.
So far, damage assessment teams in Hillsborough have counted more than 800 single-family homes, mobile homes and apartments that were damaged by either flooding, falling trees or high winds brought on by Frances. Thirty-five residences - many of them mobile homes - were destroyed.
Damage assessments in Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City are complete, but the task of surveying the remaining county parcels has been hindered by the high waters along the Alafia and Little Manatee rivers in the southeastern county.
"There were some homes along the Alafia River that really took in some water," said Robert Brophy, damage assessment coordinator. "Obviously we can't get in there, and with Ivan apparently taking aim on us, it really may change everything in the end. Boy, I guess we're making up for all those years we didn't get anything."
By Thursday morning, waters from the Alafia River had receded at a small Brandon mobile home park. Timothy Wilson was the first resident to return home.
He didn't have power, but Wilson had the most important thing - a dry floor.
"It has to be a miracle," said Wilson, 51. "The water was lapping at the door."
Water chased out the occupants of nine mobile homes at Kaplan Court Mobile Home Park early Monday, when the Alafia overflowed its banks. As much as 5 feet of water spilled into the park. The water damaged the interior of five homes; one already has been condemned.
"These are all garbage," said Bill Hum, who has owned the park for four years. He told Wilson there would be no rent this month. Not when residents could not live there.
"It's so scary," said Sabrina Jarrell, who lost her RV in the flood.
"The RV got confused and thought it was a boat," she quipped. "It became a part of the river."
Jarrell, 24, sought refuge in one of the two county shelters still open. She passed the time Thursday sewing blankets for her litter of kittens.
"We've lost everything," she said. "There's nothing left to lose."
- Times staff writer Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler contributed to this report. Dong-Phuong Nguyen can be reached at nguyen@sptimes.com or 813 226-3403.
ROAD WATCHHere are some of the county roads that were still under water Thursday:
* Morris Bridge Road, from Verges Road to Cory Lake Boulevard
* Fowler Avenue around 15th Street
* 15th Street and 127th Avenue
* 22nd Street and 131st Avenue
Source: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office