Sanibel Causeway

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.

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.”

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.

A chunk of the Sanibel Causeway fell into the sea as Hurricane Ian pummeled Florida, cutting off access to the barrier island where 6,300 people normally ...

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

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.