Senator Marco Rubio on Sunday claimed Fort Myers suffered irreversible damage from Hurricane Ian after the “super storm” tore its beloved pier off its hinges, and said the historic beach “no longer exists.”
The Florida official’s blatant statement came as officials continued to survey the damage caused by the hurricane that made landfall in southwest Florida last week before sweeping across the state’s middle and upper regions.
Fort Myers, a coastal city that bore the brunt of the storm, was hit particularly hard by Ian. Houses were leveled and ships washed ashore as the tide landed at the foot of the overflow, leaving scores of residents stranded awaiting rescue – or worse.
The extent of the destruction has since left the town unrecognizable couple – and at least 81 confirmed dead, many from the small Florida town.
Describing the extent of that destruction on ABC’s This Week show Sunday morning, Rubio, 51, said there was no “comparison” between the deadly hurricane and past storms.
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Describing the extent of that destruction on ABC’s This Week show Sunday morning, Sen. Marco Rubio, 51, said there was no “comparison” between the deadly hurricane and past storms
“I don’t think there’s a comparison, not in Florida,” Rubio, R-Fla., told co-host Jonathan Karl of the recent storm versus its predecessors
“I don’t think there’s a comparison, not in Florida,” Rubio, R-Fla., told co-host Jonathan Karl of the recent storm versus its predecessors.
The former presidential candidate would also add that despite close talks with Gov. Ron DeSantis and federal officials about the restoration effort, Fort Myers’ beloved beach will likely never be the same again.
“Fort Myers Beach doesn’t exist anymore,” said Rubio, who has served as a Sunshine State Senator since 2011.
“It needs to be rebuilt,” he continued, referring to what he described as irreparable damage to the once picturesque city.
“It will be something different. It was a piece of old Florida that cannot be reclaimed.”
Fort Myers, a coastal city that bore the brunt of the storm, was hit particularly hard by Ian. Houses were leveled and ships washed ashore as the tide landed at the foot of the overflow, leaving scores of residents stranded awaiting rescue – or worse
A marina in Fort Myers is seen before and after the storm. Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson says boats and parts of docks were “thrown around like toys.”
Fort Meyers Beach can be seen before and after the storm. The city on the barrier island was devastated by the hurricane
Fort Myers Beach, a town of about 5,500 on one of Fort Myers’ barrier islands, was “90 percent” destroyed in the storm, an official said
FORT MYERS BEACH: Jake Moses, 19, left, and Heather Jones, 18, of Fort Myers, explore a portion of destroyed businesses after Hurricane Ian
For the remote interview, the senator was joined by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell, who plays a crucial role in the government’s clean-up and rescue efforts.
Criswell added of the ongoing impact of that Category 4 storm: “There’s a lot of devastation going on. Significant damage at point of impact on Florida West Coast.’
Search and rescue operations in Fort Myers — as well as other affected cities like Naples, Naples and Orlando — are still ongoing, Rubio noted in the interview, before emphasizing that federal officials have been working closely with Gov. DeSantis on the plight of the situation.
Those efforts, Rubio said Sunday, have been successful so far — but both the senator and senior FEMA official said there was still a tremendous amount of work to be done before the city even begins to conceive a semblance of its former self resemble
“FEMA has — they’ve all been great,” Rubio said of the recovery campaign, which he admitted will be a long one. “The reaction of the federal government from day one is very positive,” added the politician. “And we are grateful for that.”
Criswell, a former chief of emergency management for New York City and the first woman to head FEMA after taking the title last year, reiterated that they were both in direct contact with DeSantis at Rubio as the cleanup continued.
The extent of the destruction has since left the town unrecognizable couple – and at least 81 confirmed dead, many of whom are from the small Florida town
“I spent all day with Governor DeSantis on Friday and really wanted to hear what his concerns were and what resources he might need to support this,” Criswell told Karl.
“I made commitments to him that we will continue to allocate resources to meet the needs, not only for this response and stabilization, but also for the recovery effort.”
Asked if the agency had gone off track with forecasting models ahead of the storm or if local officials should have called for earlier evacuations, Criswell claimed state officials weren’t responsible for billions of dollars in damage, saying the storm was “unpredictable in the days leading up to landfall.” ” been.
The storm would then erupt within a day, becoming the deadliest hurricane in the state’s history in 60 years.
“It’s going to be a long road to recovery,” Criswell admitted as Rubio shook his head in agreement.
She added that officials are currently “holding account for everyone who was in the path of the storm and we’re going through every home to make sure we’re not leaving anyone behind.”
A row of homes on Fort Myer’s southwest shore are hopelessly damaged after the hurricane, which sent storm surges up to 18 feet high, battering the city’s beloved beach
More than 2.6 million Florida homes and businesses were left without power amid six-foot floods and pounding 155-mph winds, with most homes and businesses in 12 counties left without power and many blown from their foundations
The hurricane made landfall near Cayo Costa, a barrier island west of the densely populated city, with water draining from Tampa Bay as it approached.
More than 2.6 million Florida homes and businesses were left without power amid six-foot floods and pounding 155-mph winds, with most homes and businesses in 12 counties left without power and many blown from their foundations.
Roads became rivers, and the storm surge flooded homes, hospitals, schools, and devastated the city’s beaches.
The impact of Ian, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane but dissipated after crossing the central portion of the state and then the Atlantic, has prompted officials to look into infrastructure damage and fatalities – with the state has already carried out more than confirmed rescues of citizens stranded in areas that are still flooded.
The chaos has also sparked looting, Lee County officials revealed, leading to the activation of a statewide curfew that will affect more than 413,000 citizens.
The reported incidents brazenly defied warnings from attorneys across the county that “looting and violence” in the aftermath would “not be tolerated” as flooding eased on Thursday.
The impact of Ian, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane but dissipated after crossing the central part of the state and then the Atlantic, has prompted officials to look into infrastructure damage and fatalities
Officials continue to investigate the damage and loss of life caused by the natural disaster
Officials continue to assess the damage and loss of life caused by the now past natural disaster.
Residents have been asked to conserve water and be wary of neighbors – particularly elderly residents who may need assistance.
The President, meanwhile, will travel to Puerto Rico this week with the First Lady to survey the damage caused by Hurricane Fiona two weeks ago and Ian, who made landfall in the country before being hit by a tropical storm a transformed hurricane when it hits the US on Wednesday.
They will then travel to Florida to assess recovery efforts there.