Sanibel

A large section of a causeway connecting a Florida island to the mainland collapsed in Hurricane Ian, leaving anyone who did not evacuate stranded.

"That’s my main concern right now is their safety," she added. No, it is not," Smith said. A large section of a causeway connecting an island in southwestern Florida to the mainland collapsed into the Gulf of Mexico, leaving anyone who did not evacuate stranded, as

On the ground in southwest Florida, a Tampa Bay Times reporter and photographer bring eyewitness accounts.

She started to cry. [Here’s how to prepare.](https://www.tampabay.com/hurricane/2022/09/26/how-safeguard-your-home-ahead-hurricane/) For hours, Renas said, it felt like the wind was going to suck out the doors. Then she looked outside and saw the floodwaters creeping closer. The wind was equally terrifying, shaking and lifting the eaves. Nearby, what might have been chunks of a seawall lay along the road — hulking pieces of foam covered with a hard exterior, scarred by barnacles. Shin-high, gray water rippled down First Street outside the United States Courthouse. The storm flung a boat trailer and other debris, too. One store off First Street suffered a shattered front window. Where the bridge rises from the mainland toward the island, one of the first sections of the span has disappeared. [“Absolute devastation,” she said. They know people did not all heed the evacuation orders, which began Monday.

Stunning photos show a massive section of the roughly three-mile Sanibel Causeway wiped out and collapsed into the waters below it.

on Thursday but had to turn around once they saw the destruction, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Hurricane Ian completely knocked out a portion of the only road that connects Florida's barrier island of Sanibel with the mainland as the - Hurricane Ian knocked out a portion of the only road that connects Florida's barrier island of Sanibel with the mainland.

At least three sections of the Sanibel Causeway were washed away by storm surge from Hurricane Ian, according to video from CNN affiliates WBBH and WPLG, ...

The islands are home to a number of hotels and resorts, as their beaches draw a significant amount of tourists each year. All lanes of the bridge are currently closed and the severity of the closure is listed as “major,” Residents are advised to remain off the roads “unless absolutely necessary.”

Hurricane Ian made landfall at the small island of Cape Cayo just west of Fort Myers on Wednesday afternoon as a ruthless Category 4 monster.

The island is also a popular tourist destination with several resorts. People were trapped in homes and power was knocked out in entire towns. [Hurricane Ian](https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/Hurricane-Ian-storm-surge-map-17472609.php) made landfall at the small island of Cape Cayo just west of Fort Myers on Wednesday afternoon as a ruthless Category 4 monster, before tearing through a cross section of Southwest Florida, whipping up powerful winds, dumping torrential rain and inundating coastal towns with water that rose to rooftops.

With the three-mile bridge destroyed, the 12-mile barrier island can only be reached by boat or helicopter, making rescues difficult.

“It will return, but it’s going to take a very, very long time.” Andrews that she was stuck on the second floor of her home, with the first floor flooded. “It’s a very special place,” Ms. Susan Andrews, the owner of SanibelSusan Realty and a resident of the island for more than 30 years, said on Thursday that she had evacuated before the storm, but had spoken to several friends who stayed behind and were in serious danger. A spokesperson for the Coast Guard confirmed that crews flew over Sanibel on Thursday and have begun airlifting some people to safety. “And it washed away roads.

The causeway is the only way for vehicles to enter or leave Sanibel and Captiva islands.

The causeway is the only way for vehicles to enter or leave the islands. DeSantis said evacuation efforts were ongoing but many of the residents had left before the storm hit. [Hurricane Ian](https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/hurricane-ian-florida-damage-south-carolina-forecast-path-2022-09-29/) destroyed a major chunk of the Sanibel Causeway when it slammed into Florida's west coast Wednesday, cutting off access to the barrier island where 6,400 people normally live.

An update on Sanibel Island from Mayor Holly D. Smith said search and rescue efforts were of paramount importance after Hurricane Ian decimated the island ...

We have requested barge service for the short-term, to get assets on the island for the recovery, possibly for the long-term for island access due to the condition of the causeway. After the rescue efforts, police go island-wide for safety and clearance, then the structural safety inspections teams conduct an island-wide inspection of every property on island for structural integrity or damages. "I know how much we want to get back on our island and to our homes and businesses. "A flyover of Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, and Pine Island was conducted earlier this morning which will provide more information for our recovery process. WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. I ask for your patience and I know how difficult that may be. We are all away from our island home which we love and cherish. All our lives and our island have been forever changed. Our first priority is to get those who are stranded to safety. All individuals on the island need to be taken off," she said. My prayers go to all who were and are still in harm’s way. "Boats are in the water and now heading to or are on island for search and rescue.

A chunk of the Sanibel Causeway fell into the sea, cutting off access to the barrier island where 6300 people normally live. How many heeded mandatory ...

With the three-mile bridge destroyed, the 12-mile barrier island can only be reached by boat or helicopter, making rescues difficult.

“It will return, but it’s going to take a very, very long time.” Andrews that she was stuck on the second floor of her home, with the first floor flooded. “It’s a very special place,” Ms. Susan Andrews, the owner of SanibelSusan Realty and a resident of the island for more than 30 years, said on Thursday that she had evacuated before the storm, but had spoken to several friends who stayed behind and were in serious danger. A spokesperson for the Coast Guard confirmed that crews flew over Sanibel on Thursday and have begun airlifting some people to safety. “And it washed away roads.

Two dead and twelve injured were confirmed at an update on Hurricane Ian's affect on Sanibel Island by Mayor Holly Smith.

LCEC, the island's power provider, was to begin assessments Friday and some water plant workers would be brought back on the island as well. Those units were driven off in advance of Ian and prevented from returning by the breach of the Sanibel Causeway. WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. "We're going to work together." "We had no operational picture," he said. Smith said there were about 200 homes where occupants did not evacuate before Ian hit.

Video above: Drone footage of Sanibel Causeway collapse. Hurricane Ian has left at least two people dead on Sanibel Island and ripped away several parts of ...

The Sanibel Causeway bridge is one of the most iconic structures in Fort Myers. It suffered significant damage by Hurricane Ian.

Sanibel Island officials said Thursday two people died and rescuers evacuated at least 40 who were not injured and took 12 people to hospitals.

"This is not the first time Sanibel has been through this," he said. Those who stayed self-reported after officials asked in the days prior to the storm. "I know this is hard. There could be more deaths and injuries as they continue inspecting the island. With five breeches in the 3-mile span, Smith said officials will contract with barge operators to bring critical transportation to the island. It' going to take "weeks or months" to restore the island, with five breeches of the Sanibel Island Causeway, cutting off mainland transportation to the island.

A chunk of the Sanibel Causeway fell into the sea during Hurricane Ian, cutting off access to the barrier island where 6300 people normally live.

The islands are home to a number of hotels and resorts, as their beaches draw a significant amount of tourists each year. All lanes of the bridge are currently closed and the severity of the closure is listed as "major," according to "But in other cases, we are certainly looking at that area." In the meantime, the 15 shelters opened prior to the storm's arrival remain open. Residents are advised to remain off the roads "unless absolutely necessary." A portion of the Sanibel Causeway Bridge "was damaged/washed out," Lieutenant Gregory S.

"We are heart sick and devastated, but our community will prove to be so much stronger than Ian," Mayor Holly Smith said of the island, which has been cut ...

"We are heart sick and devastated, but our community will prove to be so much stronger than Ian. What we do tomorrow and the days and months ahead will redefine and strengthen our community." I ask for your patience and I know how difficult that may be." "I know how much we want to get back on our island and to our homes and businesses. "All our lives and our island have been forever changed. She asked that people provide officials names and addresses of loved ones who did not evacuate ahead of the storm, and said the city requested barge service to help recover assets and people from the island.

Dana Souza, city manager of Sanibel, Florida, shared an update on how Hurricane Ian has devastated his city.

“Obviously our main access to the island has been cut off,” Souza said. residents who have lived on Sanibel for many, many years, just can’t even understand the damage that we’ve experienced.” “We know that people have been through a traumatic experience here,” he said, “And they just want to get off the island and be safe.” He also said “a number of volunteers” have provided boats, and are helping shuttle people to and from the mainland. Souza said officials are “still working to get our crews, both search-and rescue-crews and then our first initial cleanup crews, onto the island by boat,” adding that they have “limited equipment that’s on the island.” “The damage is catastrophic and it is biblical,” Dana Souza, Sanibel’s city manager, told Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie on TODAY Friday.

Two dead and twelve injured were confirmed at an update on Hurricane Ian's affect on Sanibel Island by Mayor Holly Smith.

Those units were driven off in advance of Ian and prevented from returning by the breach of the Sanibel Causeway. WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. LCEC, the island's power provider, was to begin assessments Friday and some water plant workers would be brought back on the island as well. "We're going to work together." Smith said there were about 200 homes where occupants did not evacuate before Ian hit. "We had no operational picture," he said.

The record 150-mph winds and towering waves wiped out whole sections of the Sanibel Causeway in Lee County and hit other infrastructure across the state, ...

The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport sustained damage to its roof, [according to Tampa Bay 10](https://www.wtsp.com/video/news/local/sarasotacounty/significant-damage-at-sarasota-bradenton-international-airport-after-hurricane-ian/67-42802ed4-9c3a-49c4-b617-2ca00d103e57). [Damage to the 12-mile causeway](https://www.tampabay.com/hurricane/2022/09/29/it-was-just-blasting-us-hours-cape-coral-fort-myers-flooded-by-ian/)severed the only connection to the mainland for Sanibel and Captiva Islands. [$40 billion in damage](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/29/business/hurricane-ian-damage-risk.html). Hospitals and nursing homes are inundated with water, [the Associated Press reported](https://apnews.com/article/floods-hurricanes-health-hurricane-ian-storms-feafd6741badece7e416d9f1bfb2db73). Ron DeSantis said the Sanibel Causeway will need to be rebuilt, as will parts of the electric grid in Lee County and neighboring Charlotte County. - Hurricane Ian battered Florida’s infrastructure when it made landfall Wednesday, swamping the southwest part of the state in particular and leading to widespread flooding and power outages.

The destruction that Hurricane Ian caused when it hit Sanibel Island on Wednesday as a Category 4 storm was catastrophic, with damage so severe that the ...

“We are heart sick and devastated, but our community will prove to be so much stronger than Ian. What we do tomorrow and the days and months ahead will redefine and strengthen our community.” She asked that people provide officials names and addresses of loved ones who did not evacuate ahead of the storm, and said the city requested barge service to help recover assets and people from the island. I ask for your patience and I know how difficult that may be.” The wreckage led the city’s mayor to pen an emotional letter to residents on Thursday, in which she said Sanibel is “forever changed.” “All our lives and our island have been forever changed.

"We are heart sick and devastated, but our community will prove to be so much stronger than Ian," Mayor Holly Smith said of the island, which has been cut ...

"We are heart sick and devastated, but our community will prove to be so much stronger than Ian. What we do tomorrow and the days and months ahead will redefine and strengthen our community." I ask for your patience and I know how difficult that may be." "I know how much we want to get back on our island and to our homes and businesses. "All our lives and our island have been forever changed. She asked that people provide officials names and addresses of loved ones who did not evacuate ahead of the storm, and said the city requested barge service to help recover assets and people from the island.

Hurricane Ian washed away several portions of the Sanibel Causeway, a series of bridges linking the island to the rest of the state.

Where the bridge rises from the mainland toward the island, one of the first sections of the span has disappeared. The rest of the bridge stretches forward, unreachable." [Smith is urging residents](https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/weather/2022-09-29/sanibel-mayor-updates-island-situation-urges-submitting-info-on-missing-residents) to provide authorities with the names and addresses of any loved ones who may have remained on the island, saying "our first priority is to get those who are stranded to safety" and account for missing people. The [Coast Guard has shared photos](https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7441635/coast-guard-aircrews-rescue-people-near-sanibel-florida) of crews airlifting people from flooded parts of the island. Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith [said Thursday](https://news.wgcu.org/2022-09-29/sanibel-mayor-provides-update-two-fatalities-confirmed-on-island) that the occupants of about 200 homes had stayed behind, and that authorities had already confirmed two injuries and 12 deaths on Sanibel. They describe seeing sheets of sand strewn across the pavement and watching around 1:30 a.m. The storm flung a boat trailer and other debris, too." One was full of young men who were trying to reach a friend, they added. "An alarm bleats endlessly at the tollbooth for the Sanibel Causeway. "The pavement is folded up like an accordion, ripped to ribbons by a powerful storm surge," they wrote. [said that same day](http://rescueefforts by the U.S. [Thursday morning briefing](https://www.facebook.com/GovRonDeSantis/videos/1666792780373351) that the Sanibel Causeway is one of at least two bridges (along with the bridge that connects to Pine Island) that are "impassable" and will "require structural rebuilds."

Ian has left at least two people dead on the barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico, and volunteers from Louisiana's Cajun Navy and other rescue groups have ...

She told CNN’s John Berman that she was seeing some images of the damage for the first time on CNN and “it’s pretty emotional for me.” “I can tell you that in all these years I have not seen damage to Lee County from a storm like this. The islands are home to a number of hotels and resorts, as their beaches draw a significant amount of tourists each year. We have space for about 40,000 people,” the county manager added. Most homes appear to have sustained roof damage, along with damage from the storm surge and flooding. A boil water order was in place countywide, he said. Florida’s National Guard was assisting in the efforts, Patronis added. Its name comes from the operation that evacuated Allied soldiers during World War II from the beaches of Dunkirk in France. Sanibel City Manager Dana Souza reported the two fatalities. “This is true carnage. On Thursday night, dozens of people remained stranded, according to Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith. “We’re going.

Daniel Souza, city manager for Sanibel, requests that people abide by the county curfew and to not attempt to get on the devastated island which may impede ...

That's the purpose of today's message and we will have an update, I expect, at 6:30 tonight. We need to make sure that our teams that are conducting the search and rescue operations have the ability to do that. For these emergency situations and we are getting teams on the island slowly. So I want to re emphasize, I did say this last night, there is a curfew in Lee County, and that includes Sanibel. Currently we have police on the island 24 hours a day. There was major devastation on Sanibel and we are working hard to continue with our search and rescue operation today.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has started to release satellite imagery of areas in southwest Florida damaged by Hurricane Ian.

Areas of Cape Coral and Fort Myers along the Caloosahatchee River were, too. In video released by DVIDS via Storyful, a Coast Guard crew member helps a woman and at least one of her cats escape Sanibel Island a day after Hurricane Ian hit. Sanibel Island rescue after Hurricane Ian by Coast Guard via bodycam

Residents stranded on Sanibel Island by Hurricane Ian flew to the mainland by U.S. Army helicopters after Miami-Dade County rescuers reached them, ...

A Miami Fire Rescue release said the team rescued more than 60 people trapped by floodwaters and debris. No fatalities were reported, and Acosta, part of a nearly 100-person county deployment, said everyone they encountered on Sanibel was flown to the mainland. The team’s rescue squad has been working in Marco Island, Punta Gorda, Island Park and Fort Myers. Army helicopters after Miami-Dade County rescuers reached them, according to footage released by the agency. “Fortunately we were able to find a suitable landing zone, and we started to evacuate people,” Miami-Dade Lt. “We ended up transporting approximately 42 individuals and several pets from that area.”

Sanibel City Manager Dana Souza said the four dead have not been identified. Souza did not say how they died. Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith said the Island is not ...

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On Friday, constant relief helicopter sorties from the National Guard, Coast Guard and other agencies could be heard overhead. We managed to catch a ride on ...

But its a beautiful day and we’ll make the best of it,” said Stan Kane, a Sanibel resident. Our destination was Mariner Pointe, a once beautiful canalside enclave on Sanibel, now inaccessible. — On Friday, constant relief helicopter sorties from the National Guard, Coast Guard and other agencies could be heard overhead.

The US Coast Guard began a rescue operation today to bring Sanibel Island residents back to the mainland.

It will continue as long as necessary, and as long as the boat is available. Coast Guard began a ferry operation today to bring people on Sanibel back to the mainland. — The U.S.