Hurricane Helene may have moved on into the rest of the Southeastern United States but she left some issues in Southwestern Florida and other parts of the state in her wake.
A storm surge warning remained in effect for coastal Charlotte, Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Pasco, Sarasota, and Pinellas counties on Friday.
More on Helene
Residents are urged to follow the forecast on WGCU-FM and WGCU.org and by downloading the Florida Storms App.
Governor Ron DeSantis planned to hold a press conference in Tallahassee this morning on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Earlier in the week the governor declared a state of emergency in the following counties: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.
FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to Florida to supplement response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Helene beginning Sept. 23 and continuing.
The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.
Federal funding is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support. That assistance is available for Bay, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Monroe, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla counties.
Issues and problems in communities in Southwest Florida included:
Lee County
County actions
Lee County this morning has crews throughout the county assessing parks, beaches, roadways, weirs and swales, and flooded structures.
Lee County Emergency Management continues to ask residents to avoid unnecessary travel. Please allow county crews to perform their assessments and to clean up areas that flooded due to Hurricane Helene.
Lee County Parks & Recreation sites are closed until 9 a.m.
LeeTran service will resume at 10 a.m. with the exception of the 410, which runs to Fort Myers Beach. The 490 will only travel from the Main Street stop to the Beach Park & Ride until further notice. Other routes, including routes in downtown Fort Myers, may have detours.
Lee County library branches will reopen at 10 a.m. with the exception of the Captiva Memorial Library, which will remain closed today. Libraries that were previously scheduled to be closed include South County Regional Library, Johann Fust Community Library in Boca Grande, and Northwest Regional Library. (Please note that the libraries on Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach are not part of the county library system; check with municipalities.)
Local law enforcement continues to update social media channels related to any road closures, flooded roadways or other hazards to motorists. Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Lee DOT are coordinating cleanup on coastal roadways. As crews are working, some temporary road closures will occur. Please note, Charlotte County has closed the bridge to Boca Grande.
Lee County Solid Waste’s haulers have resumed collection of trash, yard waste and recycling.
- Regular household collections are delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
- Collections will resume as normal on Monday, Sept. 30.
- Due to volume from Helene, some routes may experience delays.
- All Lee County disposal facilities are open for regular hours on extended hours on Saturday.
The Department of Community Development urges that any unincorporated Lee County residents with water intrusion in their homes, or those residing in the Special Flood Hazard Area with wind damage, send an email to FIRMinfo@leegov.com for assistance with permit requirements and resources. Send the email today. You can also visit www.leegov.com/dcd/BldPermitServ/disaster-recovery for information.
The Lee County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated with seats filled in Plans and Operations. Public Safety partners, including fire and law enforcement, are coordinating response post-Helene.
Sanibel
The Sanibel Causeway remains closed Friday, both inbound and outbound, and is expected to remain restricted until later today.
Additionally, many roads on Sanibel remain impassable due to flooding.
On-island travel on the Causeway is open to emergency access only. This includes access for First Responders, Utility Crews, and Essential Government Employees.
There has been significant flooding from the effects of Hurricane Helene that continued through the evening hours. It will take some time for the flood water to recede from roadways. Portions of Periwinkle Way, East Gulf, West Gulf, and Sanibel-Captiva Road remain impassible.
City of Sanibel offices and the Sanibel Recreation Center will remain closed today.
As City Staff assess the impacts of Hurricane Helene throughout the island today, updates will be provided through news releases, the City's Facebook page, and the website.
Please do not travel over flooded roads. Allow for the water to recede and City crews to clean up any debris that may have collected over roadways.
WM Solid Waste Collection is Suspended on Sanibel until Monday, September 30.
Fort Myers Beach
Beach officials are asking people to limit travel onto Fort Myers Beach
Town of Fort Myers Beach staff along with Lee County staff will be cleaning Estero Boulevard, North Estero Boulevard, and side streets today.
Residents are allowed and encouraged to return to the island; however, the Town strongly encourages those who do not need to be here today, to stay away while Hurricane Helene cleanup is underway.
An assessment of the effects of Hurricane Helene early this morning found Estero Boulevard and North Estero Boulevard have sand, rock, mulch, and more along the road.
Bay Oaks Recreation Center and the New Town Hall has water and silt intrusion. The Town will be addressing this today; however, Bay Oaks will need to remain closed today for clean-up. There will be no Club Rec After School Program today, Friday, September 27, 2024.
Town staff will begin cleaning at Times Square and Town Hall this morning while a contractor begins working on North Estero Boulevard.
Bokeelia
A long-time Bokeelia restaurant, Capt'n Con's Fish House, was significantly damaged by storm surge from Helene.
A long-time Bokeelia restaurant, Capt'n Con's Fish House, was significantly damaged by storm surge from Helene.
A long-time Bokeelia restaurant, Capt'n Con's Fish House, was significantly damaged by storm surge from Helene.
A long-time Bokeelia restaurant, Capt'n Con's Fish House, was significantly damaged by storm surge from Helene.
A long-time Bokeelia restaurant, Capt'n Con's Fish House, was significantly damaged by storm surge from Helene.
A long-time Bokeelia restaurant, Capt'n Con's Fish House, was significantly damaged by storm surge from Helene.
On the restaurant's Facebook page the damage was evident. A restaurant official commented: "We are here assessing the damage. We are salvaging what we can. Some things are not as bad as we initially thought, but we still do not know what the future will hold
It is ultimately up to the property owners, not just us. If anyone has any freezers, please reach out. Only 2 were saved. We will update again in a few hours. Also, the love from our community and customers cannot go unnoticed. We are speechless this morning."
Bonita Springs
The City of Bonita Springs and Lee County staff will be cleaning Hickory Blvd and side streets today, September 27. Residents are allowed and encouraged to return to the island; however, the City strongly encourages those who do not need to be here today, to please stay away while Hurricane Helene cleanup is underway. Bonita Springs has crews assessing parks, beaches, roadways, weirs and swales, and flooded structures throughout the city.
Please be aware of permit requirements for repairs after storms. It is very important for residents who may have experienced wind damage or water intrusion in their homes to understand that permits are required for repairs in the Special Flood Hazard area. Please contact the Bonita Springs Community Development at 239-444-6150 for assistance with permit requirements and resources.
Bonita Springs residents with water intrusion in their homes post-storm may send an email to floodinfo@cityofbonitaspringscd.org. For additional information, please visit the community development website.
Collier County
The Collier County Supervisor of Elections office will send its first mailing of requested Vote-by-Mail ballots to domestic voters today, September 27, for the upcoming General Election.
All Vote-by-Mail requests from prior years have expired. The deadline for voters to request a ballot to be delivered by mail, for the General Election, is 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 24. Vote-by-Mail ballot requests can be made online at www.CollierVotes.gov or voters can call in their request at (239) 252-VOTE (8683).
Voted ballots must be physically returned (not just postmarked) to the Supervisor of Elections by 7 p.m. on Election Day, November 5. The United States Postal Service recommends that voters mail their voted ballots one week before the due date to account for any unforeseen events such as weather issues and to allow for timely receipt and processing by the elections office. Voted ballots can also be dropped off at any of the 11 early voting locations between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on October 21 through November 2.
Voters who receive a ballot in the mail and decide to vote in person should bring their marked or unmarked ballot to their polling location so it can be canceled.
Charlotte County
Due to the widespread road flooding caused by storm surge from Hurricane Helene, Charlotte County urges everyone to stay off roads until further notice. There is no guarantee any road in the county will not have some level of flooding or dangerous debris.
Public Works Department crews deployed early Friday morning to assess roads, clear debris and identify roads that are still unpassable. Fire and EMS responders continue to conduct rescue missions and respond to incidents caused by flood waters intruding into homes and sparking fires.
For safety tips about flooding and electrical safety, visit https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/news/what-to-do-to-prevent-electrical-hazards-if-your-house-is-flooded.stml.
The north- and southbound U.S. 41 bridges remain closed until further notice.
To view a list of road closures, visit www.CharlotteCountyFL.gov/storm. This is not a complete list and may change as water recedes or new flooded roads are reported or identified.
Avoid standing water as it may present hazards such as harmful bacteria, pollutants, wildlife and unsafe footing that could cause falls.
Residents who may be stranded by floodwaters should call 911.
Charlotte County has an online Self-Reporting Storm Damage system to help us collect damage assessments. Visit www.tinyurl.com/reportingdamage, enter your address, select the type of damage and add a photo. If possible, include high water marks when reporting damage.
Please follow all safety guidelines for flooded areas when taking photos, stay on higher ground, avoid contact with flood waters, and do not drive on flooded roads.
Reporting damage in this system gets the information to county departments quickly and eliminates the need to call it in. The information will help the county compile an extensive list of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
Do understand that by self-reporting this information to the county, you are simply assisting the county with damage assessment information. You must still take whatever steps are necessary to report any damage to your insurance company or FEMA, etc.
Follow Charlotte County Emergency Management important emergency information at www.charlottecountyfl.gov/em, www.facebook.com/oemcharlottecounty, and www.twitter.com/ccoem.
Punta Gorda
Due to the heavy rain and storm surge, our sewer system is currently overwhelmed. To prevent backups and further strain on the system, the city is asking all residents to conserve water and limit activities that contribute to sewer usage, except in cases of absolute necessity.
Manatee County
Hurricane Helene stayed well offshore of Manatee County, but its tropical weather effects have left significant damage.
“We saw devastating damage along our beaches,” said Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske. “We had significant flooding across the county.”
During the storm’s passage, peak storm surges of between five and a half and seven feet were recorded at various data points throughout the county. Overnight, emergency operators answered more than a thousand 9-1-1 calls. Manatee County emergency crews responded to more than 400 calls for service. First responders say they were able to rescue and safely evacuate more than 300 residents and visitors from locations in Anna Maria Island, Palmetto and unincorporated areas of the county. Overall, more than 4200 calls have come into the 3-1-1 information line since the response to Helene began.
At first light, First-In-Teams (FIT) were dispatched to begin damage assessment and recovery efforts. Their jobs will likely be complicated by debris covering roadways and curious citizens trying to get a look at the damages for themselves. Officials are urging the public’s help during this critical post-storm period.
“Do not go out and be a disaster tourist,” said Fiske. “Please stay safe and let our crews do their work today.”
Lake Manatee -- which was drawn down to a pre-storm level of 36.5 feet -- is currently at 37.03 feet with an inflow of 872.35 cubic feet per second (CFS) and no outflow. Due to a lack of rainfall during Helene’s passage, the lake level remains about one foot lower than normal for this time of the year.
Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, Longboat Key and Bradenton Beaches water supply remains suspended until first in teams have completed their damage assessments and we can assess our water and wastewater systems.
Utilities staff is currently coordinating support for the City of Bradenton to augment their water supply which was compromised due to the saltwater storm surge that affected their system. A series of interconnects have been completed to share water from the county’s supply. The Health Emergency Support Function (ESF) 8 has verified that Blake Hospital currently has adequate water pressure, and they will continue to monitor the situation.
Out of 737 total lift stations in Manatee County, 662 are in full operation, 29 are on generator power, and 75 remain offline. Utilities staff are assisting FIT teams to assess damages.
Residents whose typical trash collection occurs on Thursday will have their refuse removed today (if the hauler has access to the property). Regularly scheduled Friday pick-ups will happen tomorrow. The Lena Rd. Landfill will be open today. The county’s contracted debris hauler is en route and will be commencing debris assessments today. Residents may begin separating their debris from trash immediately to prepare for removal.
“This is going to be an incredible long-term recovery operation,” said Director Fiske.” We are already working to get resources from the state. We are going to have points of distribution up throughout the county."
However, she was quick to caution citizens from thinking this will be a quick recovery.
“This is going to strain resources all the way from Lee County up to Georgia.”
Manatee County offices and facilities remain closed today. Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) buses will not be running today.
Residents and visitors should continue to monitor local news and weather broadcasts as well as the County's social media accounts for updates. Official storm information from Manatee County at is always updated at mymanatee.org/storm.
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