After Hurricane Ian, a low-lying Florida city starts to rebuild. Should it?
At his home in the coastal town of Clearwater, Ron Hill is trying hard to relax. He has trouble sleeping, and in mid-October he and his wife are sitting quietly in their living room watching the television news with a bottle of red wine. With Hurricane Ian just weeks away, his vacation is over.
Two hurricanes, one of them Tropical Storm Andrea, are set to hit Florida, and, like most coastal areas, Clearwater is vulnerable to flooding. And yet, Hill is confident his city is going to be OK.
Ron Hill
“People are starting to come back,” he said. “The city is looking pretty good – we’ve had no major structural damage.”
With the exception of some low lying areas that had water up to their doors, the city is being spared from the worst of the hurricane damage. Hill is among the few who feel positive about the whole affair.
“I just feel like we are going to come out of this OK,” he said. “I’ve been in a hurricane before, and it’s a process, and when we come out of it, we’re going to be good.”
Hurricane Ian, the final hurricane of the season, is hitting Florida with a fury that no one could possibly have predicted. In addition to flooding, the eye of the storm, and hurricane strength winds, there are massive storm surges that have already destroyed some homes and washed away parts of streets. If you live in the path of the storm or in the hurricane’s outer edge, it is imperative to take what little safety measures you have and heed the warnings. Here are some tips for staying safe during Hurricane Ian.
GET YOUR SELF TO A SAFE PLACE
When you are prepared to deal with the hurricane, it is important to