As Emergency Response Underway, Early Estimates Tally Michael’s Damages in the Billions
The NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported on Friday that Michael weakened to a post tropical cyclone that has moved into the Atlantic and away from the U.S. coastline. While the storm has now passed, the effects of Michael have been catastrophic for many communities in the Southeast. Michael has left some communities “flattened,” particularly Mexico Beach, Florida which is being described as “ground zero for hurricane damage” by some officials, but many communities are “damaged beyond recognition.”
Search and rescue efforts have begun in many of the Florida Panhandle communities, with road crews working to clear paths to local hospitals to provide immediate care, but some roads still remain impassable. Many communities are still without power, running water, and some are still cut off from emergency response efforts. FEMA Administrator Brock Long cautioned on Friday morning that, “it’s still not safe to return” to some of the hardest hit communities since some areas still have hazardous conditions and there is a lack of infrastructure for emergency support. Initial tolls of fatalities related to the storm have been reported, with Administrator Long anticipating the count will continue to rise as emergency responders begin to work through storm debris.
If you evacuated for #Michael, keep these factors in mind before deciding to return home. Follow directions from your local officials and plan ahead before heading back. pic.twitter.com/UscIxNZEON
— FEMA (@fema) October 12, 2018
The assessment of the impact of Michael is only just beginning. On Friday morning, in an article titled “One Mile of Devastation in Florida,” The New York Times profiled Mexico Beach and assessed damages along a 1.2-mile stretch, “Of 440 buildings we could identify, 237, or 54 percent, were destroyed and 99, or 23 percent, were severely damaged — almost all of these were homes.” Very preliminary estimates have put Michaels damages in the billions of dollars range, even higher when accounting for insured losses.
RESOURCES
For those impacted by Michael or looking for ways to provide support, please consider the links below:
- FEMA Assistance: Link
- Ways to Help Victims of Hurricane Michael: Link
- National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: Link
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