By Jim McCarthy, Alex Rickert and Mandy Miles
A strengthening Hurricane Ian skirted past the Florida Keys beginning Sept. 27, delivering storm surge and tropical storm — and even some hurricane-force gusts — to Key West. In the Lower Keys and portions of the Middle Keys, residents woke up to inundated streets and debris.
More than 6,400 Keys Energy customers were without power as of the morning of Sept. 28. Continuing high winds and additional flooding were expected during the afternoon high tide on Sept. 28, hampering some power restoration efforts.
In the Middle Keys, waters pushed in by south winds found many with oceanside residences dealing with up to three feet of water under their homes on Tuesday night. Flooding was even more severe in Key West, with the worst storm surge on the gulf side of the Lower and Middle Keys expected around this paper’s print deadline on Wednesday afternoon.
Greg Barroso, Key West emergency management chief, told county officials during a coordinating call on Sept. 28 that crews were dealing with everything from a major structure fire on Flagler Avenue to roads blocked by flood waters and fallen trees.
“Our assessments have been bad,” Barroso said. “We’re experiencing and visualizing Wilma-like damage. We definitely have a lot of trees down throughout Key West, downed power lines and low-hanging power lines. Our manhole covers and our sewers have blown off, so standing water is a concern for contaminated water.”
Barroso asked county emergency management officials to keep the shelter open at Key West High School, where about 100 people rode out the storm, according to Deputy Superintendent Amber Acevedo. Some were homeless residents who had to leave the Keys Overnight Temporary Shelter when it closed, and others were liveaboard boaters.
City officials requested assistance from the Red Cross to address basic needs as more people come to the shelter. Key West officials were also seeking assistance from Florida Department of Transportation to remove sand and debris from South Roosevelt Boulevard and neighboring fire rescues for equipment and personnel. Monroe County Fire Chief Steve Hudson told county officials that calls were increasing in the Lower Keys and Key West.
See keysweekly.com for further updates.
