Chin-deep flood in Florida; more coming

West Pensacola received nearly two feet of rain

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Weekend rainfall totals varied from 1 inch to almost 22 inches
• Flash flood watches are in effect for parts of Florida, Alabama and Mississippi
• Officials in Escambia County, Florida, expect damages to total more than $20 million
• A boy was hit by lightning in Gulf Shores, Alabama, a lifeguard said

(CNN) -- Coastal Alabama and a large section of the Florida panhandle remained under a flash flood watch early Monday, after a weekend in which some areas received more than 20 inches of rain.

Officials in Escambia County, Florida, where Pensacola is located, expect damages to total more than $20 million.

Flood waters up to 8 feet deep inundated the Forest Creek Apartments in the city.

"I walked out chin-deep in water," Lillian Murphy told CNN affiliate WEAR TV. The floodwater submerged her car and almost reached the roof of her apartment. "I don't know who to call or who to contact."

The National Weather Service noted a wide range of rainfall totals around the region as of 8 a.m. Sunday, the latest available data as of early Monday.

West Pensacola received 21.7 inches of rain, while Mobile, Alabama, saw between 5 and 10 inches. Some coastal areas, such as Destin, Florida, got about an inch.

Along with Escambia County, a state of emergency was also in effect in Santa Rosa County, Florida.

Lightning struck a boy in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on Sunday, leaving him hospitalized in critical condition.

"As soon as the lightning bolt hit, everyone hit the ground and took off running," lifeguard Justin Pearce told CNN affiliate WPMI TV. "Then we saw a person laying by the edge of the water."

The family identified the victim as Landon Broussard of Delcambre, Louisiana.

Additionally, several roads and bridges, as well as a number of homes and businesses, suffered damage.

One of the structures affected was the Escambia County Jail in Pensacola. The facility's central booking facility, where inmates are brought in, was under about 6 feet of water at one point over the weekend, according to Escambia County Sheriff's Office spokesman Mike Ward.

The main part of the jail, which houses 697 inmates, lost power in the storm, Ward said. But temporary power was brought in, and efforts continued to get the air conditioning back on. The spokesman said security at the jail was never compromised.

Flash flooding made parts of some roadways impassable, with some reporting waters rising more than 6 feet in spots.

Leroy Bonifay, 90, told CNN affiliate WALA that he and his grandson got stuck along Airport Boulevard in Pensacola when water "washed up over my hood and drowned my engine." It climbed even higher, up to the windows, before two bystanders came to their rescue.

"I have never seen it get this high in this area before," said Bonifay. "It's tough, but we'll make it out all right."

And the headaches aren't over, as the rain may not let up anytime soon.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch through Monday morning for parts of southern Alabama, far southeastern Mississippi and northwest Florida, where 1 to 2 additional inches of rain are expected. Higher amounts are possible in some areas.

There is also "a high risk for rip currents" through 1 p.m. Monday off Alabama and Florida panhandle beaches, according to the weather agency.

CNN's Kara Devlin contributed to this report.

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