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Hurricane Dennis

Dennis leaves behind downed trees, high water

Flooding is temporary in Tarpon Springs and Oldsmar, with water receding by Monday. No serious damage is reported.

By NORA KOCH
Published July 12, 2005

TARPON SPRINGS - Moments after the television newscaster warned that an outer band from Hurricane Dennis would soon sweep through town, Kally Mavrakis heard a loud crash.

It sounded like lightning, said Mavrakis, 25.

It was actually a 45-foot pine tree falling onto the roof of the townhome on Anclote Road where she lives with her husband, George, 32.

"Two seconds after the news said it'll hit Tarpon Springs" a gusty wind from Hurricane Dennis toppled the tree Saturday afternoon, Mavrakis said.

Residents throughout North Pinellas watched as Dennis passed up the coast, winds gusting and rains pouring. But there was little damage in North Pinellas beyond a few toppled trees and some minor, temporary street flooding, according to local officials.

In Tarpon Springs, the felled tree might have been the storm's calling card, fire Chief Kevin Bowman said. No one was injured by the tree, which Mavrakis said fell through her front window and caused water damage in the attic of her home in Fairview Estates. A tree service removed it and George Mavrakis and a neighbor put a tarp over the roof, she said. They are waiting for an insurance adjuster to estimate the damage.

But Tarpon Springs was prepared for more significant damage with a partial activation of its Emergency Operations Center on Saturday morning, Bowman said.

"Kind of like everybody, we planned for the big event just in case it turned our way," said fire Chief Kevin Bowman. "Happily it didn't."

On Sunday, water covered the intersections of Dodecanese Boulevard and Hope and Athens streets on the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs and Shore Drive west of Devonshire Street in Oldsmar. In both towns, the water had receded by Monday.

In Oldsmar, there was a little more than a foot of water Sunday in the front yard of Dolores Mortenson's stilt home on Shore Drive.

"This is as high as I've ever seen it," said Mortenson, 81, who has lived on Shore Drive for 10 years.

Mortenson, who retired after working in the office of her late husband's electrical contracting business, said she and her daughter usually leave for a hurricane but decided to stay this time.

"It's really quite exciting, because it shows you what kind of person you are and how your nerves work," she said.

[Last modified July 12, 2005, 04:56:32]