Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh just returned from a visit on the southwest coast of Florida as today – Tuesday, March 28 – marks 6 months since powerful Hurricane Ian made landfall near Fort Myers Beach.
The once-in-a-generation storm has left a lot of scars but there are signs of recovery. Mike spoke with Ted, a gentleman that rode out Ian with his wife in their home!
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Ted said he will never stay again during a hurricane, but his photos and memories give witness to the raw power of the Category 4 hurricane as the eye roared ashore.
Across the street from Ted, Susan Haynes evacuated the day before landfall, but returned 2 weeks later to find nothing left of her home. She plans to rebuild in the exact same place just across the street from the beach. But the city of Fort Myers will require new homes to be built to at least the latest building codes and Susan’s new home will have to be on stilts.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Mike walked the beach his first afternoon in Fort Myers and found several locals who plan to rebuild. Kevin Chase and Janelleyne Morillo stayed inland during the storm and both said it was “intense,” but they do plan to stay.
Lastly, Mike and videographer Diar Gilyana drove across the causeway to Sanibel Island. The island took a direct hit from the eye of Ian with record storm surge inundating virtually the entire island under at least 6-10 feet of ocean water. Most of the Sanibel residents plan to rebuild but virtually every building on the island suffered at least some damage.
The 2023 hurricane season “officially” begins June 1st. Look for more stories from Fort Myers in the coming weeks and months as we prepare for the next hurricane season.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
