Aerial video shows Hurricane Ian damage in Matlacha
Hurricane Ian’s fury destroyed the bridge connecting Matlacha, a small charming village in Lee County, to Pine Island and the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area.
Aerial video shows residents using a slab to walk into what’s left of the area after Ian’s storm surge swallowed some of the once colorful galleries and boutiques.
Related story: Hurricane Ian destroys homes, businesses in Matlacha
Gov. Ron DeSantis said rescue teams stopped in Sanibel Island to check on some of the residents who refused to evacuate and survived the storm. Older homes, DeSantis said, “just washed into the ocean.”
There have been at least 21 hurricane-related deaths in Florida and DeSantis warned there could be more.
“Just because the storm has passed don’t think that there aren’t hazards there,” DeSantis said referring to threats such as live power lines and gas leaks.
Officials asked anyone in need of information about FEMA aid to visit the Disaster Assistance page. DeSantis asked anyone who was interested in helping victims to visit the Florida Disaster Fund page.
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