A man carries his pet dog on a flooded street, as hurricane Ian bears down on Charleston, S.C., on Sept. 30, 2022. PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (WFLA) Driving down US-41 through North Port and Port Charlotte reveals the effects of Hurricane Ian on life there. Port Charlotte, FL 33948. Irma slowly crawled north up the state of Florida wrecking communities along the east coast. A strengthening Tropical Storm Eta sliced across Cuba on Sunday and was aimed at the southern tip of Florida, where officials braced for a storm that could hit at hurricane force after leaving scores of dead and over 100 missing in Mexico and Central America. 2023 Charlotte County. Sebring Regional Airport saw Highlands maximum wind gust of 78 mph. But it makes the list for the extensive damage and harsh blow it dealt Florida during one of its worst hurricane seasons. Flooding in Port Charlotte, Fla., on Thursday. According to areport by the Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company, more than 41 percent of hurricanes that hit the United States also make some kind of landfall in the Sunshine State. Storm surge caused flooding of up to 5' in some areas. A man walks his bike along a flooded street in plantation, a day after Tropical Storm Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys and flooded parts of South Florida. Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast on September 28. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Sept 1997 - Excessive Rainfall Kamerzan eventually did make her delivery, and sent photos of her friends home. The countys coastal regions were battered, with wind and water destroying homes and businesses on the Isles of Capri, Marco Island and in Naples and Everglades City. declares her, Alleged fraud could mean curtain call for theater, Womans car totaled in her driveway by Amazon driver, Missing Largo lawyers husband talks about love &. More than100,000residents and visitors were part of mandatory evacuation. Tropical Storm Eta is still bringing rainy and gusty conditions to South Florida as it lingers in the Gulf of Mexico. 10,965 acres of land flooded with salt water; approximately 1800 acres of land flooded with fresh water rain runoff; damage estimates approx. (Esteban Biba/Pool Photo via AP). At the Avante, an assisted-living facility in Orlando, rescuers sloshed through floods to evacuate the facilitys 100 residents, carrying some out on stretchers as rain and wind whirled around them. Nathan Andrews, the owner of a kitchen cabinet supply company, surveyed the wreckage of his warehouse in Cape Coral, Fla., the day after Hurricane Ian ripped through. Eta weakened from the Category 4 hurricane to a tropical storm after lashing the Caribbean coast for much of Tuesday, its floodwaters isolating already remote communities and setting off deadly landslides. By the time Hurricane Ian reached Cayo Costa, an unbridged barrier island north of Captiva, at 3:05 p.m. Sept. 28,it was the fifth-strongest storm ever recorded in the U.S., just shy of Category 5 strength. Residents of the island are hopeful that the causeway onto the island will be repaired soon so they can start the process of rebuilding their homes after it was heavily damaged during the hurricane leaving the island cut off from the mainland. (AP Photo/Delmer Martinez). WebCharlotte County, FL is in a very high risk hurricane zone. 2. The roof was completely blown off the garage, parts of the garage fell on the car, and the pool cage fell into the pool, like so many other homes around the area. Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast on September 28. 941.743.1200 The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. But that doesnt mean Florida is overdue for a tropical encounter as the last 28 years have had both deadly and costly landfalls. The extent of Hurricane Ian's destruction became clearer on Thursday as people across southwestern Florida, left without electricity, drinking water or inhabitable homes, began to assess the damage and gird for what Gov. Tropical Storm Eta brought heavy rain and high winds to South Florida as it made landfall in the Florida Keys Sunday. High winds continue to sweep across southwestern Florida, with a private weather station near Port Charlotte on the southwestern coast reporting 115 mile-per-hour sustained winds and 132 m.p.h. HURRICANE CHARLEY, 2004 | A shredded palm tree stands amongst rubble in Punta Gorda, Saturday, Aug. 14, 2004. Highest wind speeds unrelated to a tornado were measured at the Juno Beach Pier with sustained 51 mph winds and gusts to 59 mph. The water was coming in just like waves in here.. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. That includes six Category 4 and one Category 5 hurricanes. September 29, 2022 3:23 PM EDT. The floor was slick with mud tainted with gasoline. EYE PATH REGION: Ian tore a destructive pathstretching more than 140miles across the state. The storm killed 38 people, according to the Associated Press; 15 of them were killed as a direct result of Andrew due in large to Andrew's destructive winds and its crushing of infrastructure. The death toll of Wilma was thankfully low five people directly for a Category 4 storm. A bicyclist rides through high water at a shopping center on Taft St. and N. 68th Ave. on Monday Nov. 9, 2020 in Hollywood, Fl. It still suffered over $72.8 million in property damages. A message spray painted on a door reads 'you loot. A flooded neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Fla., on Sept. 29, 2022. Theres long lines at gas stations, Kamerzan said. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. (Scott Keeler/Tampa Bay Times via AP), An advertising billboard lies on the ground after falling from high winds and rain from Tropical Storm Eta, Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, in Key Largo, Fla. TROPICAL STORM FAY, 2008 | Tropical Storm Fay is responsible for killing 11 Floridians. Elsa will have generally dropped 3 to 9 inches of rain in western and northern Florida by storms end though up to 12 inches had fallen north of Port Charlotte by In the event of a hurricane Charlotte County staffed shelters may be opened for citizens to take shelter. estimated storm surge flooding may have exceeded six feet Fla. Data is as of 5 p.m. Eastern on Sept. 28 Detail area GULF OF MEXICO Port Charlotte Myakka R. HURRICANE FRANCES, 2004 | 2004's Hurricane Frances killed 48 people. By Solcyre Burga. Oct 1996 - Tropical Storm Josephine (no landfall) Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. The hurricane downgraded to tropical storm while hitting Honduras. Last night was shock and just exhaustion. People walk past boats on the beach in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Eta, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, in Gulfport, Fla. Eta dumped torrents of blustery rain on Florida's west coast as it slogged over the state before making landfall near Cedar Key, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky), A man reacts as he looks at damages caused by the passage of Hurricane Eta in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, on November 4, 2020. Two men navigate the almost knee deep flooding in the Melrose Park neighborhood on 38th Ave. just south of Broward Blvd. About 8,100 people were without electricity at the height of the power outages. Val Stuart talks on a cell phone as she sits on the bed she setup on the floor after the apartment where she was staying was flooded when Hurricane Ian passed through the area, Sept. 30, 2022 in Fort Myers, Fla. (AP Foto/Lynne Sladky), A man walks his bike through knee-deep floodwaters in a neighborhood of Jehova, Honduras, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020. Sept 1999 - Tropical Storm Harvey (no landfall) HURRICANE DENNIS, 2005 |Hurricane was responsible for $1.5 billion is damages to Florida. HURRICANE IVAN, 2004 | The 2004 season was a rough year for Florida as it was hit by four hurricanes, three of them made hit the same area. The storm killed 7 people directly upon impact. (Photo by Orlando SIERRA / AFP) (Photo by ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP via Getty Images), Cars move along highway A1A with poor visability in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Charley was an unexpectedly powerful hurricane, rapidly developing into a Category 4 storm just before making landfall at Cayo Costa, an island of Florida's Gulf Coast. Flood insurance claims of $1,066.51. Sportsmans Harbor in Weleka still had flooding when Tropical Storm Nicole arrived in November. 6. HURRICANE JEANNE, 2004 |Placing Hurricane Jeanne is tricky. Have an emergency supply kit that can be used when sheltering in-place and in case of an evacuation. Long lines of cars at the few gas stops in town, Publix shelves empty of nearly all cold and frozen items, and vehicles with trunks open, waiting at FEMA stations for food and water. Some gauges in the county measured an excess of 10 inches of rain. Damage in San Carlos Island in Fort Meyers, Fla. Atlas Dorlean, right, leaving her flooded neighborhood on a truck driven by volunteers in Fort Myers. Oct 2005 - Hurricane Dennis also killed 32 people in Cuba and Haiti before entering the United States. The storm caused flooding in Astor, in northeast Lake, where the St. Johns River reached flood stage, and some localized damage in other parts of the county. Older people with limited mobility and chronic health conditions were especially vulnerable when Hurricane Ian slammed into Southwest Florida last month. Eta dumped torrents of blustery rain on Florida's west coast as it slogged over the state before making landfall near Cedar Key, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky), Palm trees sway in the wind in front of historic Art Deco hotels, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, on Miami Beach, Florida's famed South Beach. Find information about elected officials, county services, garbage pick-up schedules, and more for properties in Charlotte County. Storm clouds form over Lake Harris in Leesburg as bands from Tropical Storm Eta hit the Central Florida area on Wednesday, November 11, 2020. (Alexander Gerst/ESA/NASA via AP), Erika Lane takes photos of the surf at Lido Public Beach in Sarasota, Fla. on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 as Hurricane Eta passes to the west in the Gulf of Mexico. Another 23 died of indirect causes of various reasons including heart attacks and accidents. A destroyed home is seen in the wake of Hurricane Ian, Oct. 3, 2022, in Fort Myers Beach, Fla. 18500 Murdock Circle On Fort Myers Beach, a laid-back strip dotted with hotels, bars and restaurants that for many Southwest Florida residents offered a cherished escape from the mainland, the storm had laid waste to beloved landmarks, including the fishing pier and Times Square, the communal gathering spot where sunset was celebrated each night. It also has a record of making landfall four times in the Sunshine State. Other areas included the Peace River shoreline area in Punta Gorda. Eta made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Nicaragua causing catastrophic winds, flash flooding and landslides across some areas of Central America. Though their house did not sustain major damage, they were among the Floridians wondering on Thursday whether they should pack up and never return rather than risking a repeat disaster some day. 5"-7" rainfall in Charlotte County; caused flooding of 3"-6" in parts of County; damages approx. A reverse storm surge drained Tampa Bay of its water, a phenomenon that had people frolicking in the bay despite warnings. The hurricane came ashore near Cayo Costa, in Lee County, as a major Category 4 storm, but its maximum sustained winds were only 7 mph less than a Category 5. Tropical Storm Eta brought heavy rain and high winds to South Florida as it made landfall in the Florida Keys Sunday. WebEstimated $5 to 6 million in damage to private and public resources caused by this powerful hurricane hitting Charlotte County as well as the majority of the State. Stacey Pardini/U.S. All rights reserved. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Lee Countys barrier islands: Estero Island, Pine Island, Sanibel and Captiva; its mangrove coast and Caloosahatchee riverfront bore the brunt, with up to 18 feet of storm surge that swamped and splintered houses, wiped out piers and boardwalks and orphaned thousands of boats. The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged so it can only be reached by boat or air. %PDF-1.5 % Motorists travel across the John Ringling Causeway as Hurricane Ian churns to the south in Sarasota, Fla., Sept. 28, 2022. Rainfall totals were 14 inches, and the highest wind was a 74 mph gust. Hurricane season 2020 has nothing on Floridas, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), The new OrlandoSentinel.com: FAQs and more, DeSantis oversight board votes to sue Disney, Hurricane season 2020 has nothing on Floridas deadliest, costliest landfalls. Andrew ranked as the most expensive storm in U.S. history until Hurricane Katrina raged through New Orleans in 2005. [Were] trying to help out a family friend, said Inna Kamerzan. The deadliest storm to hit Florida in the last three decades was Hurricane Irma which was directly responsible for 10 deaths. The storm killed 7 people directly upon impact. As of the end of 2022, the death toll from Hurricane Ian stood at 144, making it the deadliest hurricane in the state since 1935. Hurricane Watch: These watches are made for specific coastal areas. Theyre not meant to treat viruses, however. The storm killed five people directly and 43 people in its wake. This morning was, OK, whats next? There were surreal moments of destruction mixed with normalcy. Coast Guard via Getty Images. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Some hospitals and nursing homes were managing to run on generator power while patients from at least 16 hospitals and an additional 3,500 nursing-home residents were evacuated from other facilities in southwestern Florida, industry officials said. A man observes the flooding in the Melrose Park neighborhood on 38th Ave. just south of Broward Blvd. Up to 10" of rain fell in Port Charlotte causing widespread street flooding in Charlotte County; some houses sustained water damage; $15,846.79 in flood insurance claims were paid out. An additional 24 were killed by indirect causes. It was a Category 3 hurricane it struck Pensacola with winds of 121 mph. It was a mandatory evacuation. Tropical Storm Watch: A tropical storm is similar, but smaller than a hurricane. It would prove to be one of the most devastating hurricanes ever to hit Florida, causing at least 144 deaths. Hurricane Irma made landfall along the Florida Keys destroying homes and boats and causing widespread power outages as well as extensive tree damage to the Florida islands. An hour-and-a-half later, it made mainland landfall inCharlotte County south ofPunta Gorda. Charley carried strong winds well inland along its path throughout Florida while also producing nine tornadoes across the peninsula. The hurricane downgraded to tropical storm while hitting Honduras. In Volusia, Ian caused damage of at least $377 million, according to county government, sending backyards of coastal homes into the ocean and damaging many beach ramps and walkways. Significant flooding also took place in the City of Punta Gorda. Depending on your evacuation zone and type of structure you live in, you may be asked to evacuate. It broke out the claim numbers for the top 20 counties. (Esteban Biba/Pool Photo via AP). Afternoon storms roll in off the coast of Dania Beach Florida on Tuesday, November 10, 2020. If you can look down there, theres the transformers, theyre on the ground, Ruiz said, pointing down the block. Sept 2001 - Tropical Storm Gabrielle 2023 Charlotte County. Estimated $5.4 billion in damage to private and public resources caused by this powerful category 4 hurricane hitting Charlotte County and proceeding up the harbor to Desoto County. 84 hurricanes have been recorded in the Charlotte County, FL since 1930. The center of Hurricane Ian crossed to the south of the county, but tropical storm to hurricane force winds were felt across much of the county for over a day. Residents survey damage left behind by Hurricane Ian on San Carlos Island in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., Sept. 29, 2022. Eight direct fatalities were reported: seven in Florida and one in Georgia. The 2020 season beat out the 2005 season, which previously had the most storms on record in the Atlantic with 27 named storms. Hurricane Andrew, its a name most Floridians are very familiar with as it was one of the most infamous storms in memory. Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach officials say it could take up to five years to fully recover. Along the Treasure Coast, wind gusts as high as 65 mph were measured at the House of Refuge in Martin County, and 66 mph in Fort Pierce. The sheriff in Volusia County, near Orlando on the states east coast, said by text message that the coastal county was seeing unprecedented flooding. Mr. DeSantis said there had been biblical storm surge on Sanibel Island, normally a tourist haven of gleaming beaches and mangroves southwest of Fort Myers. Cities farther inland and along the Atlantic Coast appeared to have endured the storms lacerating winds with less damage than the southwestern coast where Ian first made landfall. Carline Jean / South Florida Sun Sentinel. From the report:Southwest Florida has been hit by 17 major hurricanes, one more than the Southeast. The coastal regions had 5 to 10 feet storm surges that flooded thousands of homes. Beachgoers look at a large shrimping boat that was swept ashore by hurricane Ian in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Oct. 1, 2022. Two homes were severely damaged from a tornado in Moore Haven. Eta slammed into Nicaragua's Caribbean coast with potentially devastating winds Tuesday, while heavy rains thrown off by the Category 4 storm already were causing rivers to overflow across Central America. The rain caused widespread flooding along the Peace River in Bartow and Fort Meade, with the entire city of Fort Meade losing electricity. (Esteban Biba/Pool Photo via AP). Although Hurricane Ian had weakened to tropical storm strength by the time it lashed the coast in Northeast Florida, it left behind catastrophic damage, especially along the beaches from Ponce Inlet north to Flagler Beach in Volusia and Flagler counties.