Everything from traffic crashes to moving vulnerable populations can result in deaths, he said. This is preventable, she said. The weekend before Ian hit Florida, forecasters projected that the storm posed the biggest threat to the Tampa area, north of Fort Myers, according to the National Hurricane Center. Tropical Storm Nicole made landfall in the Bahamas shortly before noon Wednesday and is expected to continue its approach to Florida sometime tonight. Giarratana knows the Southwest Florida area is vulnerable. A friend helped him haul his donated bed, bookcase and boombox, his Mozart CDs and fishing poles, to the boatyard. But the shelter didnt have any beds available, just a wheelchair. Chustz will patrol the beach at night to monitor light pollution on sea turtle nesting habitat. Until then, his dreams will keep him afloat. NBC News determined the precise locations of 86 of the 119 deaths and found that two-thirds were in areas the federal government deemed at elevated risk of storm surge in a Category 4 hurricane. Days after Disney sued Florida's governor in federal court for what it described as retaliation for opposing the state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, members of Disney World's governing board made up of Gov. The forecasters were comparing Ian to Hurricane Charley, a Category 4 storm that hit the area in 2004. After she returned home in April, a move made possible by daily help from a health aide, Collson vowed not to leave again, even if it meant putting off surgeries that could help her regain the ability to walk. Michael Yost at the damaged home he was renting in Fort Myers Beach, Fla. Fort Myers News-Press. While there have not yet been any sea turtle nests spotted on Fort Myers Beach yet this season, Haverfield said sea turtles have hit the beaches in Captiva and Bonita Beach. Half were in places at risk of 9-foot storm surges or more. Ron DeSantis official travel records secret. But Im still searching for that female companion., Hell settle for a Pomeranian. Hurricane Hurricane Hurricane Ian hit Cat 5 in Gulf, was Floridas most expensive storm. despite forecasts for above-average activity, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Though there hasnt been a nesting yet on Fort Myers Beach, Haverfield said the false crawls (as it is known when a sea turtle emerges on the beach but doesnt lay eggs) on Bonita Beach over the weekend were exciting to see.. Yost moved to Florida 13 years ago from Indiana, and in that time he heard predictions of hurricanes bringing deadly storm surges that didnt come true, Hurricane Irma included. Utterback tried to get out the kitchen window but became trapped. Irmas forecasts had originally put Fort Myers and the rest of Lee County at risk of a direct hit, with storm surges of up to 15 feet. The band is saying "peace out" after more than 50 years together. Turtle Time founder Eve Haverfield said lighting violations have continued to be an issue on Fort Myers Beach. Families of the missing are caught in limbo over their loved ones fate. CBS4's Ashley Dyer reports plenty of cars were also stalled out. In Puerto Rico, Fiona dealt a blow to the long-term recovery effortsfrom Hurricane Maria five years ago, knocking out electricity to the entire island. Utterback began looking for ways for the couple to escape, while Conway tried to keep her head above the water as it rose toward the ceiling, she said. Preparing for the 2023 Hurricane Season - winknews.com Theres a huge lesson for all of us in public health response and emergency management to learn from what weve seen here and ramp up our outreach efforts, she said. Anjali Nair / Nigel Chiwaya; Thomas Simonetti; NBC News. One of the places severely damaged by Hurricane Ian was Fort Myers Beach, and seven months later, theres still more to do, but theyve come a long way. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Even if he was miles from the water. An accused killer is in court after his defense missed a deadline. CSU said there's more uncertainty than normal this year due to El Nio. On Florida's east coast, residentsare working to prevent batteredbeachfront properties from collapsing into the ocean after first Ian, then Nicole ripped awaymountains of sand and seawalls. Any death, whether its a car accident or storm surge, is tragic. Turtle Time, the local organization founded by Eve Haverfield to document and protect sea turtle hatchlings on Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach, has been instrumental in creating regulations to protect the reptiles. The spot where Mitch Pacyna's home once stood, and where he died. When it comes to windows and glass slider doors, FWC sea turtle biologists have advised that , with 45% light transmittance may not be sufficient to adequately reduce light visibility to nesting and hatchling sea turtles. Hurricane Im not going back to a home, she told her brother. Yost said he and others were lulled into a false sense of security by past storms and the lack of urgency around Ian. Seven months to the day after Hurricane Ian completely demolished Fort Myers Beach, another familiar face is set to return to the recovering community. But in 2012, Tropical Storm Debby dumped his sailboat onto Gulfport Beach, where he stayed on the wrecked Promise for almost a month.