NAPLES, Fla. (WSVN) — Residents of southwest Florida who rode out Hurricane Ian shared how they survived the storm, as they return to what remains of their homes.
Recovery and rescue efforts continued Saturday with help from South Florida’s first responders and the U.S. Coast Guard following Ian’s devastating path in the west coast.
“We have already started the planning efforts for what it is going to take to rebuild these communities and recover from this storm,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
In Fort Myers, cars lined up at a distribution site. It’s one of eight throughout Lee County providing water, ice and food.
“I just moved here from Colorado and I’m not feeling very well at all,” said a woman in a white cap. “No water, no electricity. It’s been very difficult.”
“We just got power about 6 this morning, but we still don’t have water,” said a man.
“Let me tell you, it wasn’t fun. It was nerve-racking,” said a woman, “but thank God, we’re alive. God is good all the time.”
Gripping satellite images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show Fort Myers Beach before and after Ian. Everything along the shore is demolished.
Bryan Bianchi surveyed what little was left of his mobile home. He said he had to flee when floodwaters reached his waist.
“I was just going to go anywhere, anywhere but here, because I was stuck in a trailer, and the water was rising,” said Bianchi. “It must have raised like 12 feet, at least, inside.”
As more people like Bianchi assess how much they have lost, the recovery process that is just beginning is sure to be a heartbreaking one that will go on for years.
On a small island town called Matlacha, the storm surge decimated the area. The only way in and out of the town was destroyed.
Other bridges that connected to other towns of Pine Island and Saint James City were also destroyed.
People who survived the storm needed to be rescued by air and by boat.
A local, who goes by Matt, said he considers himself to be one of the luck ones.
He and his wife are alive, but many of his neighbors are not.
“We are very fortunate. Some friends of ours who live in North Cape were able to get a truck through right here, back it up right here, and my wife and I, we swam out down the staircase,” said Matt, ” and swam through, they pulled us and our dog up and got out, the three of us.”
One of the difficulties they came across when fleeing their beloved home were power lines that had be damaged and were in the water.
“I was very prepared for the power lines. I jumped in first, and I told my wife, ‘Do not get into the water until you see me come out across the other way,'” said Matt, “and I was prepared for the debris, to get cut, to get crushed. I was prepared for all that, but I wasn’t prepared for all the other lost lives that were in the water. It was tragic.”
Even after experiencing such loss, Matt was back the next day helping out his fellow neighbors.
“It’s not a second or third or fourth home community. Most of these and primary residents. I’s where they live and, you know, these are folks that need to get out of here,” said Matt. “We are just looking forward to this getting rebuilt.”
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