Nevada politician Robert Telles found guilty of killing journalist Jeff German, sentenced to life in prison
K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Pool/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
(LAS VEGAS) — A former Nevada politician was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty on Wednesday of killing journalist Jeff German in September 2022.
As the jury’s foreperson read out the guilty verdict, former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles looked down and shook his head.
Telles was sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole after a minimum of 20 years served.
In a press conference after the verdict was announced, Clark County District Attorney Steven Wolfson thanked the jury for their work on the case.
“Today’s verdict should send a message, and that message is a clear message that any attempts to silence the media, or to silence or intimidate a journalist, will not be tolerated,” Wolfson said.
Prosecutors said former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles, 47, stabbed the Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter to death after German exposed corruption in his office, destroying both his political career and his marriage. German’s story detailed an allegedly hostile work environment in Telles’ office — including bullying, retaliation and an “inappropriate relationship” between Telles and a staffer — all of which Telles denied.
Telles was arrested days after German was found dead outside his Las Vegas home. Police said DNA evidence found in Telles’ home tied him to the crime scene, and a straw hat and sneakers — which the suspect was seen wearing in surveillance footage — were found cut up in his home. His DNA was also found on German’s hands and fingernails, police said.
He had pleaded not guilty to murder.
In her opening statement, Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly walked through the timeline of the murder and how Telles came to be pinpointed as the suspect.
“In the end, this case isn’t about politics,” Weckerly said. “It’s not about alleged inappropriate relationships. It’s not about who’s a good boss or who’s a good supervisor or favoritism at work — it’s just about murder.”
Telles took the stand in his own trial on Aug. 21, “unequivocally” maintaining his innocence and insisting he was “framed” in a sweeping conspiracy by a real estate company that he said he was investigating for alleged bribery.
“Somebody framed me for this, and I believe that it is Compass Realty, and I believe it’s for the work that I’ve done against them,” Telles told the court.
In a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal in January, Compass Realty owner Takumba Britt denied Telles’ conspiracy claims, calling him a “desperate man who has been charged with violently murdering a beloved local journalist” who would “do and say anything to escape answering for this charge.”
Wolfson also hit back against Telles’ conspiracy claims after the jury announced its verdict.
“There was no conspiracy,” Wolfson said. “The only conspiracy was between him and his evil mind.”
When police took Telles into custody, he had what they said were non-life-threatening, self-inflicted stab wounds. His defense attorney, Robert Draskovich, said the suicide attempt was not out of guilt, but because Telles’ “life was coming apart.”
Draskovich echoed Telles’ claims of a conspiracy against him, saying in his opening statement the “old guard” in the public administrator’s office had been upset by Telles’ efforts to root out internal corruption. He also claimed that, because of German’s track record of investigating corrupt figures, there were other people who may have wanted him dead.
“There were others that had far more motive to make it look like [Telles] was the killer, and to conduct this killing because Jeff German was a good reporter — he would ultimately get to what the truth was,” Draskovich said.
Ahead of sentencing on Wednesday, German’s three siblings addressed the court, speaking about what their oldest brother meant to them.
“Jeff was our leader — he was the older brother we all leaned on,” his brother, Jay German, said.
The siblings remembered him as a “wonderful” uncle, a “fearless” journalist and a lover of football and sitcoms.
His sister, Jill Zwerg, who said German was “like a second father,” recalled how he bought a whole round of champagne for the bar when she told me she’d gotten engaged.
“He’s so deeply missed every day,” Zwerg said through tears.
Telles’ wife and ex-wife also spoke, tearfully asking the jury not to sentence him to life in prison without parole.
“I would love at some point to give my children the chance to have their father back,” his wife, Mary Ann Ismael, said.
Telles wept as his mother, Rosalinda Anaya, took the stand.
“I accept the verdict, but if you could — please — give my son the chance of parole,” Anaya said. “His family is still very young and I would like for him to someday be back with them again.”
Before sending the jury off to deliberate on sentencing, Draskovich urged jurors not to hand down a life sentence.
“Give him the opportunity — give his children the opportunity — decades from now, to have their father back,” Draskovich said.
But prosecutors argued a life sentence — either with or without parole — was necessary in such a case. Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Hamner said Telles “decided to be judge, jury, and literally executioner” of German “because he simply wasn’t happy about what was being written about him.”
“When you think about the situation he was in, the world wasn’t going to end. He simply lost an election,” Hamner said. “The way Robert Telles chose to handle this was devastating, and it was his choice and his choice alone.”
German was the only journalist killed in the United States in 2022, with a total of at least 67 journalists killed worldwide that year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo previously described the case against Telles as “unusual,” and said that “the killing of a journalist is particularly troublesome.”
“It is troublesome because it is a journalist. And we expect journalism to be open and transparent and the watchdog for government,” Lombardo said. “And when people take it upon themselves to create harm associated with that profession, I think it’s very important we put all eyes on and address the case appropriately such as we did in this case.”
In a statement published by the paper, Las Vegas Review-Journal executive editor Glenn Cook praised the verdict “as a measure of justice” for German, as well as for “slain journalists all over the world.”
“Jeff was killed for doing the kind of work in which he took great pride: His reporting held an elected official accountable for bad behavior and empowered voters to choose someone else for the job,” Cook wrote. “Robert Telles could have joined the long line of publicly shamed Nevada politicians who’ve gone on with their lives, out of the spotlight or back in it. Instead, he carried out a premeditated revenge killing with terrifying savagery.”
“Let’s also remember that this community has lost much more than a trusted journalist,” Cook added. “Jeff was a good man who left behind a family who loved him and friends who cherished him. His murder remains an outrage. He is missed.”
(INDIANAPOLIS) — A man has been arrested in the 1993 rape and murder of his 19-year-old neighbor in Indiana after he was linked to the case through genetic genealogy, authorities said.
On March 24, 1993, Carmen Van Huss’ father went to her Indianapolis apartment to check on her after she didn’t show up for work. He found his daughter dead on the floor, according to the probable cause affidavit.
She was naked and had multiple puncture wounds to her head, face and body, the document said.
“There were obvious signs of a struggle, including a knocked over table, clothing thrown on the floor, a large pooling of blood near the victim’s head, and blood spatter around the victim’s body,” the probable cause affidavit said.
A resident in the apartment directly below Van Huss told police that, in the early hours of March 23, he heard screams, crying, slamming, banging and “noises and voices of a male arguing that lasted approximately 30 minutes,” the probable cause affidavit said.
In the years that followed, police said they interviewed dozens of people and followed up on hundreds of leads. But the case went cold.
In 2013, the unknown suspect’s DNA was uploaded to CODIS — the nationwide law enforcement DNA database — but there wasn’t a match, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Then, in 2018, police said they submitted a DNA sample from the crime scene to Parabon NanoLabs to try to solve the case with forensic genetic genealogy — a new investigative tool that takes unknown DNA and identifies it by comparing it to family members who voluntarily submitted their DNA samples to a database.
In 2023, police said “various investigative methods and lead information from the genetic genealogy analysis” led to a suspect’s name: Dana Shepherd.
Police determined Shepherd was Van Huss’ neighbor in 1993. Their apartment buildings were connected internally by a shared common area, according to the probable cause affidavit.
In February, police were granted a warrant to obtain DNA from Shepherd, who was now living in Missouri and working at the University of Missouri, the probable cause affidavit said.
When police showed Shepherd the warrant, he “was visibly shaking,” the document said.
In June, testing determined that Shepherd’s DNA matched the DNA on Van Huss’ body and at the crime scene, police said.
Shepherd, 52, was arrested in Missouri last week on charges of murder, felony murder and rape, police said. He has not yet been extradited to Indiana, police said.
“There’s a lot of people that missed Carmen all these years,” Van Huss’ brother, Jimmy Van Huss Jr., said at a news conference Tuesday. “She had a lot of family, a lot of friends. She had cousins that loved her like sisters.”
“She wasn’t able to experience her college graduation or have a wedding or any of life’s events,” he said.
“She was taken from me when I was a freshman in high school. And I’m thankful that, finally, the man that did it is where he needs to be,” he said. “I do have hope that any similar case with DNA can get this same treatment with the genealogy and everything we have available today.”
A sign reads ‘Road Closed Landslide Damage’ amid an ongoing land movement crisis in the area which has forced power shutoffs to homes, with California Governor Gavin Newsom declaring a state of emergency today, on September 3, 2024 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for the Southern California city of Rancho Palos Verdes, where a landslide has threatened homes and caused the local utility provider to cut off electricity and gas to 245 residences due to broken pipes and power lines causing hazards.
On Tuesday afternoon, Newsom issued the declaration for the Los Angeles city community after local elected leaders held a news conference over the weekend and repeated their request that he act.
The governor said in a statement that the city is located on four out of five sub-slides that comprise the Greater Portuguese Landslide Complex. He said land movement in parts of the complex has “significantly accelerated following severe storms in 2023 and 2024.”
The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said it has been coordinating with the city and county for nearly a year to support the response to the landslide, including providing technical assistance, supporting the local assistance center, facilitating a federal mitigation grant for groundwater work in the area and helping officials with initial damage estimates.
The governor’s decision came just hours before residents and local leaders held a meeting to discuss the growing crisis with utility officials.
“We can not predict how much the slide will accelerate in the coming weeks and months,” Larry Chung, vice president of Southern California Edison (SCE), said during the meeting Tuesday evening.
Residents in the growing landslide zone, which has spread about 680 acres over the past year, have been advised to leave the area after SCE shut off power to 245 homes on Sunday and Monday and said many of them will be without electricity and gas indefinitely.
Chung maintained during the meeting that there is “no timeframe” for power restoration in the impacted areas due to the instability of the land.
“The safety of the community members and crews remains our highest priority,” he added.
In January, Sallie Reeves told ABC News that she began noticing little cracks in the walls and floors of her Rancho Palos Verdes home of four decades. But by Tuesday, those cracks had turned into a widening fissure running through her home, wrecking room after room as the earth has been moving under her house at what she estimates is 12 inches a week.
Like Reeves, residents in the oceanfront community have been coping with a landslide crisis that is making their homes uninhabitable.
“This just kept getting worse, and we had animals coming in,” the 81-year-old Reeves told ABC News, pointing to where her home has split in half, exposing her master bedroom to the outdoors.
“This has been a hard pill to swallow,” Reeves told ABC News, adding that her husband is disabled.
She said she and her husband have had to move out of their master bedroom after damage to their roof caused a leak so bad she said it was as if “someone just turned a hose on our bed.”
Over the last four months, she said things have worsened as parts of her ceiling have collapsed, and a space between her outdoor deck and home has widened to about 18 inches. Reeves said she and her husband began sleeping in their living room until the landslide made it uninhabitable. She said now they’ve moved to a rear bedroom.
Rancho Palos Verdes is located about 30 miles south of Los Angeles.
“There is no playbook for an emergency like this one,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents the area, said at a news conference Sunday. “We’re sparing no expense. This is bigger than Rancho Palos Verdes. This land movement is so gigantic and so damaging that one city should not have to bear the burden alone.”
Hahn said the county has committed $5 million to respond to the disaster.
Officials said the shifting land has caused water and gas pipes to leak, and the city has been forced to red-tag at least two homes made uninhabitable by damage.
“Yes, this landslide has been moving for decades, but the acceleration that’s happening currently is beyond what any of us could have foretold, and it demands more response from the state, more response from the federal government,” Hahn said.
Evacuation warnings have been issued for part of the city. However, residents like Reeves said they are not leaving their homes.
“When people say, ‘Why don’t you just go someplace?’ I can’t take him just someplace,” Reeves said of her disabled husband, who is also in his 80s. “I can’t go to a hotel. He can’t get in the beds. I’m his 24-hour care.”
Reeves said she is working with a contractor on plans to lift her home and build a steel foundation that will sit on cribbing, repairs she expects will be out-of-pocket expenses.
“I would be thrilled to show Gavin Newsom my house because I’m not the only one that lives like this,” Reeves said. “This is what Mother Nature is doing.”
(NEW YORK) — Debby, which weakened from a tropical storm to a tropical depression Thursday afternoon, is slamming the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast with heavy rain on Friday.
Debby made landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane on Monday and crawled up the East Coast all week.
Here’s how the news is developing:
DC faces flash flood warning
A flash food warning is in effect in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding areas until 11 a.m.
The rainfall rate could reach a dangerous 2.5 to 4.5 inches per hour.
Latest forecast
The remnants of Debby are targeting the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast on Friday. Virginia has recorded more than 8 inches of rain and Delaware has seen more than 9 inches of rain.
At least six tornadoes were reported across North Carolina, Virginia and Delaware over the last 24 hours.
The worst of the heavy rain will move into central Pennsylvania, upstate New York and northern New England throughout the day. Up to 6 inches of rain is possible, bringing a high threat for flash flooding.
High winds and a potential isolated tornado are in the forecast along the Interstate 95 corridor, from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.
By Saturday morning, the remnants of Debby will exit the Northeast.
Tornado watch issued in Baltimore, Philadelphia
A tornado watch is in effect in Baltimore, Philadelphia and much of New Jersey and the western Hudson Valley until 2 p.m.
Tornado watch extends in Washington-Baltimore area
A Debby-related tornado watch has been extended through 7 a.m. Friday ET for the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area.
Debby weakens to tropical depression
Debby weakened from a tropical storm to a tropical depression Thursday afternoon as the system continues to bring rain and flooding to the East Coast.
Over 80,000 without power in North Carolina
More than 80,000 customers are without power in North Carolina as Tropical Storm Debby rips through the state.
Gov. Roy Cooper said he’s activated 374 National Guard members and swift water rescue teams throughout the state.
Flooding has been reported on major roads, including Interstate 95.
Man found dead in tornado-leveled home in North Carolina
A man was found dead in his home Thursday morning after a tornado tore through overnight, according to the fire chief in Rock Ridge, North Carolina.
“The tornado had completely leveled the house. … We were initially unable to locate the victim,” Fire Chief Walt Williamson said. “We called in the FEMA rescue team, which brought in a canine unit to help us find and locate the individual.”
“The victim was likely asleep in his bedroom when the tornado struck,” Williamson said.
“This was an incredibly challenging task, both logistically and emotionally. It’s a lot of destruction to witness,” he said.
The tornado also caused major damage to a school in the area, Williamson said.
“The school’s roof was torn off,” Williamson said. “Thankfully, this happened in the middle of the night when no one was there. If it had been during school hours, it could have been much worse.”
Four tornadoes have been reported Thursday morning. A tornado watch is in effect in North Carolina and Virginia until 1 p.m. ET as Debby moves inland.
-ABC News’ Matt Foster and Jason Volack
Over 120,000 without power in North Carolina
More than 120,000 customers are without power in North Carolina as Tropical Storm Debby rips through the state.
Gov. Roy Cooper said he’s activated 374 National Guard members and swift water rescue teams throughout the state.
Flooding has been reported on major roads, including Interstate 95.
Debby makes 2nd landfall in South Carolina
Tropical Storm Debby made a second landfall early on Thursday, moving over South Carolina after regaining some strength over the Atlantic.
The storm made its landfall near Bulls Bay, a coastal about 20 miles northeast of Charleston, bringing with it a major flood treat, the National Hurricane Center said.
Maximum sustained winds were at about 50 mph as the storm hit land, weather officials said.
Storm still 60 mph as it crosses South Carolina coast
As of 11 p.m. ET, the center of Tropical Storm Debby is about to cross the coast of South Carolina. It will likely cross in the next few hours.
The storm’s strength has remained unchanged, with maximum sustained winds remaining at 60 mph.
A Tropical Storm Warning continues from Edisto Beach, South Carolina, to Surf City, North Carolina.
Debby is currently located 25 miles east-northeast of Charleston, South Carolina and crawling at 3 mph toward the north-northwest.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect for parts of coastal North Carolina.
-ABC News Meteorologist Melissa Griffin
Debby’s winds at 60 mph as it drifts off South Carolina coast
Debby has sustained winds of 60 mph as it drifts roughly 85 miles off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, moving at 3 mph.
The tropical storm is expected to make landfall again late Wednesday into early Thursday morning near Myrtle Beach.
The storm is expected to bring significant to catastrophic flooding, with flood watches and warnings covering much of the Carolinas. The high risk for excessive rainfall stretches from North Carolina into southern Virginia on Thursday.
A tornado watch is also in effect until 11 p.m. ET Wednesday for eastern North and South Carolina, where spin-up tornadoes are possible.
-ABC News’ Daniel Amarante
When Debby is forecast to make its 2nd landfall
Tropical Storm Debby — currently sitting off shore of Charleston, South Carolina — is forecast to make a second landfall Wednesday night between Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Another 6 inches of rain is possible for the Carolinas over the next 24 hours before Debby exits the region. A rare “high risk” for flash flooding is ongoing for the Carolinas, including the cities of Myrtle Beach, Wilmington and Raleigh.
By Thursday afternoon, Debby will begin to move north. By Friday, the storm will bring heavy rain and potentially flooding to Virginia, and then will reach the Northeast and New England.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Curfew lifted in Charleston
A city-wide curfew was lifted Wednesday morning in flood-prone Charleston, South Carolina.
No rescues were needed due to the curfew, Mayor William Cogswell said.
“After assessing overnight conditions, officials have determined that it is safe to return to normal activities,” the mayor said in a statement, but he added that the ongoing storm may still lead to downed trees and power lines.
“Several roads remain closed and are barricaded,” the mayor said. “Please avoid driving around barricades or entering flood waters.”
Debby’s winds at 45 mph ahead of expected second landfall Thursday
Tropical Storm Debby’s winds slightly strengthened early Wednesday, rising to about 45 mph, as the storm moved over warm water in the Atlantic about 65 miles from the coast of Charleston, South Carolina.
Debby is expected to remain a tropical storm into Thursday, when it’s forecast to make a second landfall in South Carolina.
The National Hurricane Center said it expects the storm to not strengthen much more, maybe rising up to about 50 mph ahead of that landfall.
The storm is then forecast to continue inland overnight into Friday, with its winds slowing as it travels through North Carolina and into Virginia.
Debby is slowly moving eastward offshore
Tropical Storm Debby is slowly moving eastward offshore the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina.
Debby is moving east at 5 mph while max sustained winds remain at 40mph, with its center currently about 50 miles east of Savannah, Georgia, as of 11 p.m. ET.
Tornado Watch remains in effect across eastern South Carolina and North Carolina, from Myrtle Beach to Morehead City until 1 a.m. ET.
Flood Watches remain in effect from Georgia to Virginia as bands of heavy rain will continue through the night.
Debby will be back over open water tonight and could gain a bit more strength over the next 24 hours, but is forecast to remain at tropical storm intensity.
A second landfall is expected in South Carolina Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.
Six killed including two kids
At least six people have been killed from Debby, authorities said.
A 13-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home Monday morning in Levy County, Florida, which encompasses Cedar Key, according to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this family as they deal with this tragedy,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to use extreme caution as they begin to assess and clean up the damage. Downed powerlines and falling trees are among the many hazards.”
In Hillsborough County, Florida, which encompasses Tampa, a driver of a semi was killed when the truck went into a canal off Interstate 275 Monday morning, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies recovered the semi and found the driver dead inside the cab, authorities said.
In Dixie County, Florida, a driver “lost control due to the inclement weather and wet roadway” on Sunday night, crashing into the center median guardrail and then overturning the car, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The driver, a 38-year-old woman, and a passenger, a 12-year-old boy, were killed, authorities said.
Another passenger, a 14-year-old boy, was seriously injured, the highway patrol said.
In Gulfport, Florida, a 48-year-old man died after he tried to ride out the storm on his sailboat which was anchored off Gulfport’s Veteran’s Park, police said, according to ABC Tampa affiliate WFTS-TV.
In Moultrie, Georgia, a 19-year-old man was struck and killed by a fallen tree while he was inside a home on Monday, according to Moultrie police.
What to expect Tuesday evening
Debby is moving at just 3 mph, with its center located about 10 miles east of Savannah, Georgia, as of 5 p.m. ET.
Tornadoes are possible in South Carolina and North Carolina on Tuesday night.
After a day of heavy rainfall, the coastal cities of Savannah and Charleston, South Carolina, could see a few more inches of rain this week. Both cities are under flash flood warnings.
But going forward, the worst of the rain will be focused further north. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Wilmington, North Carolina; and Lumberton, North Carolina, are forecast to get hit the hardest over the next 24 to 36 hours.
More than 1,000 flights canceled
More than 1,000 flights have been canceled within, into or out of the U.S. on Tuesday as Debby slams the Southeast and thunderstorms strike the Northeast. Ground stops are in place at the New York City area’s three airports.
South Carolina braces for severe flooding
The threat of severe flooding is very high across South Carolina with Tropical Storm Debby “creeping across our state,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster warned on Tuesday.
More than 90,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 90,000 customers remain without power in Florida, more than 24 hours after Debby tore through the state.
“Restoration is taking longer in areas with flooding and heavy vegetation, as crews must wait for the water to recede and clear through debris before they can restore power,” Florida Power & Light said Tuesday morning. “Rest assured, we’ll continue working until everyone who can safely receive power is restored. Avoid these flooded areas and stay away from downed power lines.”
Charleston’s curfew extended as city faces flash flood warning
A curfew in Charleston, South Carolina, has been extended to 7 a.m. Wednesday as the flood-prone city braces for potentially life-threatening flooding.
“Residents are advised to stay off the roads unless there is an urgent emergency,” the Charleston Fire Department said.
Charleston is under a flash flood warning. Up to 1 foot of rain has already fallen in the city, with more to come.
Five killed including two kids
At least five people have been killed from Debby, authorities said.
A 13-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home Monday morning in Levy County, Florida, which encompasses Cedar Key, according to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this family as they deal with this tragedy,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to use extreme caution as they begin to assess and clean up the damage. Downed powerlines and falling trees are among the many hazards.”
In Hillsborough County, Florida, which encompasses Tampa, a driver of a semi was killed when the truck went into a canal off Interstate 275 Monday morning, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies recovered the semi and found the driver dead inside the cab, authorities said.
In Dixie County, Florida, a driver “lost control due to the inclement weather and wet roadway” on Sunday night, crashing into the center median guardrail and then overturning the car, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The driver, a 38-year-old woman, and a passenger, a 12-year-old boy, were killed, authorities said.
Another passenger, a 14-year-old boy, was seriously injured, the highway patrol said.
In Moultrie, Georgia, a 19-year-old man was struck and killed by a fallen tree while he was inside a home on Monday, according to Moultrie police.
19-year-old hit by tree dies in Georgia
A 19-year-old died after being hit by a tree in Moultrie, Georgia, a local coroner told ABC News affiliate WALB-TV, bringing the storm’s death toll to five.
More than 150,000 customers without power, tracker says
More than 150,000 customers were without power early Tuesday in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, according to PowerOutage.us, a tracker of energy providers.
Florida had the highest number of outages, with more than 116,000, followed by more than 26,000 in George and almost 12,000 in South Carolina.
Debby to bring historic 10-20 inches of rainfall: Forecast
Despite weakening since moving over land, Debby is still maintaining its tropical storm status, producing maximum sustained wind speeds of 45 mph.
As of 11 p.m. ET, over 150,000 customers in Florida and Georgia are still without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
With Debby’s center about 35 miles west of Brunswick, Georgia, much of the heavy rain and showers have since moved out of Florida (except for the extreme northeastern corner of the state closer to the Georgia border). However, with the storm slowing down even more, Debby will stay stuck over the Southeast for the better part of this week, meandering over Georgia and the Carolinas.
Even though the storm is expected to weaken a bit more overnight, Debby is still expected to bring historic rainfall and life-threatening flooding to portions of southeastern Georgia and the coastal areas of the Carolinas over the next few days. Rainfall totals from this event are expected to reach between 10 and 20 inches.
Already, portions of southeastern Georgia and South Carolina have seen between 3 to 6 inches of rainfall, but with rainfall rates of 1.5 to 3 inches per hour possible, flood alerts remain in effect.
A Flash Flood Warning was issued for Charleston, South Carolina, where rainfall rates between 1.5 and 2.5 inches are expected. Ongoing or new flooding is expected, with an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain possible over the next few hours.
As onshore flow continues, storm surge remains an issue in Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina. Storm surge alerts remain in effect up the Georgia and Carolina coastlines.
Rainfall aside, Debby could also generate some spin-up tornadoes as it swirls over the Georgia-South Carolina border tonight. As a result, a Tornado Watch also remains in effect for parts of southeastern Georgia and South Carolina until 1 a.m. ET.
Over the next 48 hours, Debby is expected to meander back over the Atlantic but will continue to hug the coastline before heading back inland over the Carolinas again. Slight strengthening can’t entirely be ruled out as it moves back over water, but ultimately, Debby is expected to weaken once it moves back inland. Strength aside, it will still bring significant rainfall to portions of the Southeast, which will likely lead to catastrophic flooding in some areas.
Debby is expected to eventually drift toward the north/northeast by the end of the week into the weekend. As it heads north, it will likely weaken to a tropical depression or remnant low. Regardless, heavy rainfall is still expected up the I-95 corridor heading into this weekend.
Power returns to some Florida customers as Debby moves northeast
As of Monday evening, 146,034 customers are without power in Florida, according to the latest update from a U.S. power outage map.
This marks an improvement from Monday morning, which saw nearly 300,000 customers without power at 9:50 a.m. ET, the height of outages across the state.
During a press conference in Tallahassee Monday morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state’s emergency department had 17,000 linemen working to restore power in the wake of the storm.
“We have a lot of restoration personnel ready to go,” DeSantis said.
Debby weakening, but threats of tornadoes, heavy rain continue
Tropical Storm Debby continues to weaken, with maximum sustained winds down to 45 mph as of 8 p.m. ET. The weather pattern is moving very slowly to the northeast at 6 mph, and the center is currently about 50 miles east of Valdosta, Georgia.
Even though Debby is now inland and continues to weaken, many of the impacts — especially the heavy rainfall and dangerous flash flood threat — will not abate for several days. For many locations in coastal Georgia and South Carolina, the worst is yet to come.
The tornado threat continues along portions of the Georgia and South Carolina coasts this evening and into tonight. A Tornado Watch remains in effect from Savannah, Georgia, to Charleston, South Carolina, until at least 1 a.m. ET.
Parts of Florida, including Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, are reporting over a foot of rain from Debby, and portions of Suwannee County, including Live Oak, are getting around a foot as well.
So far, parts of Georgia, including Savannah, are reporting nearly 4″ of rain. The same can be said for Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Conditions will continue to deteriorate across much of South Carolina overnight Monday into Tuesday, with widespread areas of heavy rain and the potential for dangerous, significant flash flooding during nighttime hours.
Coastal flooding and storm surges will continue to increase in the coming hours as winds increase and more persistent heavy rain moves in, heading into high tide along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts.
By late Tuesday afternoon or early evening, the center of Debby will likely be moving off the Southeast coast and into the Atlantic, where it will meander for about 24 hours before likely turning back toward the coast and potentially making another landfall as a tropical storm somewhere along the South Carolina coast by Thursday morning or afternoon.
More than 163,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 163,000 customers are without power in Florida, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
Curfew set for Charleston, South Carolina
A curfew will go into effect overnight for Charleston, South Carolina, due to Debby, city officials said Monday.
Thoroughfares leading into the peninsula will be closed from 11 p.m. ET Monday to noon ET Tuesday, the city said, as the region braces for potential impacts such as tropical storm-force winds, heavy rain and isolated tornadoes.
“We urge everybody to stay inside, stay indoors and do not travel,” Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said at a press briefing Monday evening.
Biden approves emergency declaration request from South Carolina
President Joe Biden has approved a request from South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster for an emergency declaration in the state due to Debby, the White House said.
The declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to mobilize and provide equipment and resources necessary.
“The President continues to urge residents to remain vigilant and heed the warnings of State and local officials,” the White House said in a statement.
North Carolina governor declares state of emergency
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency ahead of severe weather, including life-threatening flash flooding, expected across the state due to Debby.
“This weather has the potential to bring intense rain and flooding to North Carolina and we are preparing for it,” Cooper said in a statement. “As the weather becomes more severe, I urge everyone to take precautions and stay safe.”
The emergency declaration will allow for the state to mobilize resources to respond to the storm.
Tropical Storm Debby slowing down as it moves across US
Tropical Storm Debby continues to weaken and slow down in forward speed as the center moves near the Florida-Georgia state line as of 5 p.m. ET.
Maximum sustained winds are down to 50 mph, and Debby is moving to the northeast at 6 mph. The center is currently about 30 miles southeast of Valdosta, Georgia.
As of Monday afternoon, all tropical weather and storm surge alerts have been canceled across Florida’s Gulf Coast as conditions improve across much of the state.
Debby will move across southeastern Georgia through Monday evening, with the worst impacts focused there and into the Jacksonville, Florida, area. Heavy rain continues to overspread southern South Carolina as well.
-ABC News meteorologist Daniel Peck
More than 199,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 199,000 customers are without power in Florida, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
4 killed including 2 kids
At least four people have been killed from Debby, authorities said.
13-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home Monday morning in Levy County, Florida, which encompasses Cedar Key, according to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this family as they deal with this tragedy,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to use extreme caution as they begin to assess and clean up the damage. Downed powerlines and falling trees are among the many hazards.”
In Hillsborough County, Florida, which encompasses Tampa, a driver of a semi was killed when the truck went into a canal off Interstate 275 Monday morning, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies recovered the semi and found the driver dead inside the cab, authorities said.
“It’s just heartbreaking,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told ABC News Live. “We really ask everyone, one, to be aware of the weather situations in your area, and then heed the warnings. Especially the high wind and the water.”
In Dixie County, Florida, a driver “lost control due to the inclement weather and wet roadway” on Sunday night, crashing into the center median guardrail and then overturning the car, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The driver, a 38-year-old woman, and a passenger, a 12-year-old boy, were killed, authorities said.
Another passenger, a 14-year-old boy, was seriously injured, the highway patrol said.
Flash flood emergency issued in Suwannee County, Florida
A flash flood emergency has been issued in Suwannee County in north Florida, northwest of Gainesville, where officials are reporting that water is entering structures.
Ten to 15 inches of rain has inundated the county so far and another 3 to 6 inches of rain is expected.
-ABC News’ Dan Peck
More than 1,600 flights canceled
More than 1,600 flights have been canceled within, into or out of the U.S. on Monday, and that number is expected to continue to climb.
American Airlines is seeing the biggest impacts because of its hubs in Miami and Charlotte, North Carolina.
American Airlines said it canceled operations at airports in Gainesville, Sarasota and Tallahassee until noon on Monday.
Sunday was one of the worst air travel days of the year with more than 2,400 cancellations.
Biden briefed on storm
President Joe Biden was briefed Monday morning on the administration’s ongoing response to Debby, according to a White House official.
On Saturday, Biden approved Florida’s request for an emergency declaration and deployed rescue personnel, meals and water, the official said.
The Biden administration is in touch with officials from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has deployed staff to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina as the storm moves north, the official said.
More than 300,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 300,000 customers are without power in Florida Monday morning, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
More than 1,200 flights canceled
More than 1,200 flights have been canceled within, into or out of the U.S. on Monday, and that number is expected to continue to climb.
American Airlines is seeing the biggest impacts because of its hubs in Miami and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Sunday was one of the worst air travel days of the year with more than 2,400 cancellations.
Storm surge, flooding major threats
Storm surge and flooding are major threats to Florida as Hurricane Debby slams the state, Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Monday.
Significant flooding has already impacted the Bradenton and Sarasota County area up to North Florida, he said.
More than 250,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 250,000 customers are without power in Florida Monday morning, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
Debby makes landfall in Florida
Hurricane Debby made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida, on Monday morning, the National Hurricane Center said.
More than 135,000 customers without power in Florida, tracker says
More than 135,000 customers were without power in Florida early Monday, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
Debby approaches landfall with 80 mph winds
Hurricane Debby is “very near” landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast, the National Hurricane Center said at 5 a.m. ET.
“Expected to bring life-threatening storm surge in portions of Florida and major flooding in the southeastern United States,” the center said in an update.
The Category 1 storm had maximum sustained winds of an about 80 mph as it approached Big Bend, a northern area near the Panhandle, the center said.
Debby strengthens, with maximum sustained winds up to 80 mph
Hurricane Debby continued to strengthen, with maximum sustained winds rising to 80 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.
More than 10 inches of rain fell on the west coast of Florida, around the Tampa Bay area, where water rescues have been on going near Clearwater. Significant flooding also has been reported in Fort Myers area.
Storm surge has been rising quickly now along the Big Bend area in Florida, from Cedar Key to Keaton Beach, where up to 10 feet of Gulf water could inundate the coastline. The storm is forecast to make landfall in that area on Monday morning.
Coast Guard rescues two adrift in sailboat off Florida coast
Two people were rescued Sunday from a boat that was adrift in about 20-foot seas off the coast of Boca Grande, Florida, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The boaters were airlifted from their 34-foot sailboat after the vessel lost its sail about 73 miles off shore, the guard said.
The sailboat had been on course for Tarpon Springs from Key West, officials said. A friend of the boaters contacted the Coast Guard at about 5 p.m. Saturday, telling officials they had missed their check-in.
“We received an updated satellite position from the boaters’ friend, which led to them being successfully located,” Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hooper, a search and rescue mission coordinator, said in a statement.
The boaters were rescued by a crew on an Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter at about 11 a.m. on Sunday, the Coast Guard said. They had been adrift in seas that were between 15 and 20 feet, with wind speeds at about 50 knots. Visibility was low.
The names of the people on the boat were not released.
Debby strengthens into a hurricane
The National Hurricane Center has upgraded Tropical Storm Debby to a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 mph.
The forecast is still on track for more strengthening overnight as Debby feeds off the warm water in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Water temperatures running 3 to 5 degrees above average are providing plenty of fuel for this storm to intensify before landfall, which will happen around 7 a.m. ET along the Big Bend region of Florida.
Tropical Storm Debby nearing hurricane strength at 70 mph
While still a tropical storm, Debby is nearing hurricane strength, producing maximum sustained wind speeds up to 70 mph.
Debby will continue to intensify rapidly overnight as it travels northward over the Gulf’s warm waters. It is forecast to become a hurricane tonight. It is expected to strengthen to at least a strong Category 1 hurricane before making landfall along Florida’s Big Bend region Monday morning (around 7 a.m. ET), producing sustained wind speeds near 85 mph and wind gusts reaching over 100 mph possible.
Located about 90 miles southwest of Cedar Key, Florida, the storm continues to impact the Florida Gulf Coast with heavy rainfall, storm surge, powerful winds and even spin-up tornadoes.
A reported wind gust of 56 mph was reported in St. Petersburg, with two tornadoes reported in central Florida.
A 60-mph wind gust was also reported near Sarasota, Florida.
Numerous reports of flooding from heavy rainfall and surges have also been submitted up Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The Tornado Watch covering much of northern and central Florida and southern Georgia has been extended until 6 a.m. ET on Monday.
Once Debby moves over land, it will weaken. However, the lack of a steering current will cause the storm to slow down considerably. While its exact track remains questionable, model guidance suggests the storm will drift over the Atlantic or Southeast coastline late Monday night into Tuesday before meandering back over Georgia and the Carolinas. Interaction with the Atlantic could reenergize Debby, but that will greatly depend on the storm’s path.
Even though Debby’s track and timing remain uncertain later this week, there is high confidence that it will bring historic rainfall and significant flooding across portions of the Southeast.
Rainfall ranging between 6 to 12 inches is possible from Florida’s Big Bend region through southeastern Georgia and into the Carolinas. Parts of coastal Georgia and South Carolina will be in the bullseye for the heaviest rainfall. There, widespread totals between 10 to 20 inches are possible, with some places even seeing up to 30 inches locally. Because of this, significant urban and river flooding is anticipated.
Rainfall aside, hurricane and tropical storm force winds will continue to whip across Florida and will likely intensify Sunday night into Monday as the storm moves closer to the coast — with areas just south and east of the storm’s eyewall seeing the strongest gusts early Monday morning.
Storm surge will also worsen along Florida’s northern and central Gulf coast tonight into Monday morning, with the highest surge expected between Suwannee River and Ochlockonee River (6 to 10 feet).
All tropical alerts remain unchanged from the last update.
Tropical Storm Debby on track to become a hurricane overnight
As of 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, Tropical Storm Debby still has winds of 65 mph and is forecast to undergo rapid intensification into a hurricane overnight, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Debby is expected to make landfall as a hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend region on Monday morning around 7 a.m.
Rain is expected to be the most impactful element from this storm, affecting a wide area over an extended period of time.
“Across portions of southeast Georgia and South Carolina, 10 to 20 inches of rainfall, with local amounts to 30 inches, are expected through Friday morning,” the National Hurricane Center said. “This potentially historic rainfall will likely result in areas of catastrophic flooding.”
Evacuations ordered in Alachua County, Florida, as Debby set to make landfall
An evacuation order was issued Sunday for residents of Alachua County, Florida, residing in mobile homes, manufactured homes and recreational vehicles ahead of the arrival of Debby, which is forecast to be a hurricane when it makes landfall on Monday.
People living in areas close to rivers and lakes, and low-lying areas that tend to flood in Alachua County are also encouraged to evacuate, according to a statement issued by county officials.
Gainesville is the largest city in Alachua County.
“We encourage residents affected to find alternative housing with friends, family or short-term rentals,” according to the county’s statement.
Alachua County is opening three shelters for residents in need.
Tornado watch issued as Debby runs parallel to Florida’s Gulf Coast
A tornado watch was issued Sunday afternoon by the National Weather Service as Tropical Storm Debbie moved northward in the Gulf of Mexico parallel to Florida’s Gulf Coast.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said Debby was still a tropical storm with winds of 65 mph and forecasted to bring severe weather, including heavy rain, to coastal communities Sunday afternoon.
A tornado watch is in effect for much of Florida through Sunday evening.
Debby is expected to become a hurricane Sunday evening and will likely make landfall sometime between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday in the Big Bend area of Florida’s Panhandle.
Once Debby makes landfall, the storm is expected to slow down and essentially stall over the Southeast, dropping potentially historic amounts of rainfall as it moves into Georgia and South Carolina.
A hurricane warning is in effect for the west coast of Florida from the Ochlockonee River southwest of Tallahassee to the Suwannee River northwest of Gainesville.
More than 1,600 flights canceled due to Debby and Northeast thunderstorms
Tropical Storm Debby and thunderstorms in the Northeast were causing airlines to cancel or delay flights on Sunday.
American Airlines said it canceled 601 flights, or about 16% of its flights, on Sunday, the most of any airline.
Debby, now a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to make landfall around the Big Bend area of the Florida Panhandle on Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.
Also causing delays and cancellations were severe thunderstorms moving up the East Coast. Parts of the mid-Atlantic states are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m. ET Sunday, including the cities of Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City.
The most flights canceled on Sunday were at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, where 214 flights were canceled and another 172 were delayed, according to FlightAware.
In New York City, LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy international airports reported a combined 363 flights canceled and 258 delayed on Sunday.
Miami International Airport reported 209 canceled flights and 151 delayed fights. Airports in Orlando, Tampa, Philadelphia, Newark, Washington, D.C., and Dallas-Fort Worth all reported more than 100 flight cancellations on Sunday.
Ten million people under tropical storm alert on Florida’s Gulf Coast
About 10 million people along Florida’s west coast and up through Georgia and South and North Carolina were under a tropical storm alert Sunday as Debby took aim at the area and is forecast to make landfall in the Panhandle region on Monday.
Debby, now a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico about 190 miles southwest of Tampa, is expected to make landfall sometime between 7 and 8 a.m. in Big Bend on the Florida Panhandle as a Category 1 hurricane, state emergency officials said.
Debby is expected to create a storm surge of 4 to 7 feet in Cedar Key and Crystal River on the Florida west coast and a 2- to 5-foot storm surge farther south in Tampa and Sarasota.
The storm is forecast to move into the cities of Tallahassee and Jacksonville, bringing up to 20 inches of rain to some parts, before causing potential flooding in Georgia and the Carolinas on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
National Guard put on alert for search and rescue: DeSantis
Members of the Florida National Guard have been advised to be prepared to conduct search-and-rescue missions once Tropical Storm Debby makes landfall on Monday, according to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Widespread flooding is expected for the Florida Panhandle region, particularly in the Big Bend area where Debby is expected to make landfall Monday morning as a category 1 hurricane, DeSantis said during a news conference Sunday morning.
DeSantis said the Florida National Guard and the state’s Emergency Response Team are prepared to conduct search-and-rescue and provide humanitarian assistance.
“The Florida National Guard is standing by with 3,000 service members ready to assist the state Emergency Response Team, which includes search-and-rescue, route clearance, commodity distribution and protection of critical infrastructure,” DeSantis said.
The governor said at least 12 swift boat crews and flat-bottom jon boat crews are also standing by to help with rescues.
He said that more than 30,000 bottles of water, more than 160,000 meals and nearly 14,000 tarps have been pre-staged in parts of Florida that are expected to be hit hard by the storm.
DeSantis said Florida utility companies have notified up to 17,000 linemen to be ready to spring into action once it is safe to repair any damage.
Flooding forecast as Debby expected to bring up to 20 inches of rain
Florida residents in the Big Bend region of the Panhandle were warned Sunday that Debby is going to bring “catastrophic rain to the area” that will cause flooding and power outages.
Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said during a news conference on Sunday that once the Debby makes landfall as a possible Category 1 hurricane on Monday morning, winds will subside quickly, but the slow-moving storm will produce an abundance of rain.
“We’re going to be in a catastrophic rain situation where we have situations in Florida that will receive 15, maybe as high as 20 inches of rain,” Guthrie said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told residents who are in the path of the storm to expect widespread power outages.
“It’s possible that you could have serious intensification between now and landfall. It could get up to 85, 90 and 95 mph sustained winds. That is absolutely possible, particularly in parts of the state like here in Tallahassee. There’s going to be a lot of trees that are going to fall down and you’re going to have debris. You are going to have power interruptions,” the governor said.
Gov. DeSantis advises residents to make final preparations for Debby
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis advised residents of the state’s Panhandle region on Sunday that they should be finalizing preparations for when Tropical Storm Debby makes its anticipated landfall Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.
“Now this is a storm that is potentially dangerous. Residents should be finalizing all of their preparations now,” DeSantis said during a news conference at the state’s Emergency Operation Center in Tallahassee.
DeSantis said Tropical Storm Debby was in the Gulf of Mexico about 190 miles southwest of Tampa as of Sunday morning with sustained winds of about 50 mph.
“But those are expected to increase,” DeSantis said. “Tropical Storm Debby is likely to become a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida.”
He said the storm was on a similar track taken by Hurricane Idalia in 2023. Idalia made landfall in Big Bend on Aug. 30, 2023, as a Category 3 hurricane and caused a devastating storm surge of 7 to 12 feet across the coastal Big Bend region in Levy, Dixie and Taylor counties.
“This storm is a similar track,” DeSantis said. “It may be a tick to the west of that. It very well may have greater impacts here in the Tallahassee region than Hurricane Idalia did. Once it crosses landfall and enters the Florida Panhandle/Big Bend Region, wherever it does, it’s going to move very slowly across northern Florida and southeast Georgia.”
