My son made it home after a very difficult ride, picking way through debris, blocked streets and detours. It took him hours.
He got to his neighborhood and almost every house is damaged, some badly. Debris everywhere.. a very bad scene.
Every house has damage.. except his. He is unscathed. Literally no damage that he can find. Even his pool lanai is fine.. those things fly easily.
Can't explain it. He has no power but does have a generator and got his fridge and AC going.
He cannot freaking believe it.
At same time, heartbroken for those less fortunate.
What is not being publicized is casualties. One officer / coworker of my sons found 8 bodies all on his own today.
The toll may rise much further. I heard an estimate from his PD contacts that was scary. I don't want to say it because I hope it's not true and I don't want to spread rumors.
Plentiful and inexpensive generally. Many houses in Florida are not 100% wood, I'd even say most are not. Concrete block construction is common. That really doesn't hold up to extreme storms either.Can I ask, why do so many people in the US build houses with wood? Especially in areas prone to hurricanes and tornados?
I was supposed to go there for 10 days on 10/11 as I have every October since 2005. My wife and I have gone there virtually every month of March since 2005, as well. That area is a 5 minute walk from our rental and what was there where the rubble is were some of the best live music venues, cheap beer, fun places ever. So heartbreaking.
It's a really nice area. I'm guessing you'll hopefully be ok by then. But, not sure about their damage there.I was headed for Venice, about an hour south of Tampa, the same day as you. My first time in that locale. From what I can tell it wasn't as bad as Fort Myers as they didn't sustain a direct hit, but it remains to be seen if we'll be going or not. I'd just as soon send a donation to the Red Cross and just cancel the flight, but my Wife prefers to wait and see and make that call later.
It's a really nice area. I'm guessing you'll hopefully be ok by then. But, not sure about their damage there.
The locals could likely give you a good sense of how to proceed.I guess the trailer parks are a complete mess, but that's all I've been able to find out. We've got a connection to some locals so I expect
to have a better idea within a few days. Maybe it'll be fine and they could use the tourist cash we'll spend but OTOH maybe the infrastructure of the entire region
is so stressed that we should just stay the hell out of everybody's way.
Being in daily touch with a local, the situation is very grim, and even the basic necessities are lacking for most of the area now. No power, no water, no fuel, no grocery stores, no nothing. Until and unless those basics return, I would not think of visiting. And even then, the beaches and marinas are all ruined.The locals could likely give you a good sense of how to proceed.
Nearly 2,000,000 trailer park residents in florida. Perfect terrain for hurricanes to head off on a double-wide safari.I guess the trailer parks are a complete mess, but that's all I've been able to find out. We've got a connection to some locals so I expect
to have a better idea within a few days. Maybe it'll be fine and they could use the tourist cash we'll spend but OTOH maybe the infrastructure of the entire region
is so stressed that we should just stay the hell out of everybody's way.