Florida island starts long cleanup after Hurricane ‘Helene’
TREASURE ISLAND, FLORIDA—Michael Ward—who has lived on Treasure Island, off Florida’s Gulf coast, for 33 years—decided to ride out Hurricane “Helene” despite an order to evacuate. It was a decision he quickly regretted.
Instead of going with his wife to a friend’s home inland, the 67-year-old Ward stayed put. As torrential rains led to flooding, he feared he would be electrocuted in his one-story home, but the storm surge prevented him from even opening his door.
Ultimately, he climbed out of a window to escape. Waist-deep in murky water, he walked about half a mile to a neighbor’s two-story home, where he spent the night.
“I can’t believe that it happened. I have lived in Florida for 44 years, and too many times, the news reports about these storms turn out to be wrong,” Ward told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“I guess we ran out of luck.”
Treasure Island is one of a series of barrier islands across from Saint Petersburg.
Home of retirees
Late Thursday, Helene claimed one life in this city of 6,500 residents, mainly home to retirees and wealthy professionals. Overall, dozens were killed in the storm in the United States.
The storm surge reached nearly 2.1 meters. Sidewalks are covered in mud, and random objects unmoored by the flooding—couches, beds, refrigerators and doors—are scattered in front of homes.
Arthur Czyszczon, 42, walks in and out of Page Terrace, the beachfront hotel he operates with his family.
Mattresses, nightstands and lamps are piled up outside. Like many others, Czyszczon evacuated the island ahead of Helene, and is now taking stock of the damage.
“It’s devastating to see your community go through this. The saltwater does just massive damage,” Czyszczon said, wondering aloud how his neighbors might recover from the storm.
Most of the one-story homes in the area are uninhabitable, and many residents do not have flood insurance because it is too costly.
