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CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. (WFLA) — Citrus County students have returned to the classroom for the first time since Hurricane Helene hit.
“We’ve had to relocate some of our Crystal River Primary students,” Superintendent Sam Himmel said. “We’ve relocated Crystal River Middle School students to Crystal River High School.”
“I was at Crystal River High School this morning and it was really running very smooth.”
However, many families are still recovering from damage and power outages.
Cracker’s Bar & Grill in Crystal River is still waiting for electricity to be restored to the restaurant.
“You’ve got food everywhere,” said Kyle Garrick, owner of Cracker’s Bar & Grill. “You just want to make sure you’re not getting electrocuted. You’re just trying to pick up the pieces in your mind while picking up the pieces in the building.”
Record-breaking storm surge inundated homes around King’s Bay with floodwater.
Several neighborhoods have heaps of furniture lining the streets.
“It came up quick fast, real fast,” Mark Wainwright said. “Within an hour it came up and we just got out. We barely got the boat out and we were riding it around the neighborhood checking the houses making sure no one was in them.”
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office is enforcing a curfew for all residents in Evacuation Zone A from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
The curfew will stay in effect for the duration of the State of Emergency.
“This is necessary to ensure your safety, as well as the safety of the first responders and all of the essential workers attempting to restore services, as we continue to monitor, assess, and respond to the impacts of Hurricane Helene,” officials said in a social media post. “Please avoid all unnecessary travel and follow all safety guidelines. Stay indoors during curfew hours and allow emergency crews to work effectively.”
According to an update issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis, there are six active boil water notices in Citrus County.
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