As a low-lying coastal Florida group with the Gulf of Mexico overwhelming the town’s waterway, Crystal River Mayor and lifelong resident Joe Meek stated Hurricane Idalia fueled the realm’s worst storm surge because the “no-name” hurricane three many years in the past.
“We noticed vital flooding there, and I’d say that this storm surge is on par with that,” Meek, 43, advised USA TODAY on Wednesday. “And that was our worst flooding occasion we had in many years.”
Hurricane Idalia, now a tropical storm, barreled via Florida’s Huge Bend early Wednesday as a Class 3 tropical cyclone, inflicting calamitous storm surge and flooding for tons of of miles. The system then made its approach via southeastern Georgia and the Carolinas Wednesday night.
Whereas officers are nonetheless calculating totals, Meek estimates Crystal River, a tourism hub on the coast of western Florida, was hit with seven to 9 toes of storm surge. “Many of the roads all through the town at this level are nonetheless underwater,” Meek confirmed.
Crystal River is house to about 3,500 residents and attracts a large vacationer crowd for its pure points of interest, together with wildlife refuges, pure springs, and the Crystal River waterway, Meek stated.
Older properties face the brunt of flooding
Meek’s house, a more recent construction with the primary ground about 15 toes off the bottom, was spared from the surge Wednesday. Different properties in Crystal River, a lot of them older buildings, weren’t as fortunate.
Newer constructing codes require properties to be constructed larger off the bottom to stop harm in flood occasions, based on the mayor. However older properties that have been constructed earlier than codes have been up to date sit decrease and are sometimes hardest hit in surges, Meek stated, an issue exacerbated in coastal communities.
The surge Wednesday introduced 4 to 6 toes of water into some Crystal River properties, he famous.
“As we get newer buildings, we are going to make sure that as we construct, we plan for some of these issues going ahead,” Meek stated.
‘COULDN’T BELIEVE IT’:Floridians emerge from Idalia’s destruction with hopes to get well
Tourism is the city’s driving power
Because the proudly touted house of the manatee with an energetic downtown and federal wildlife sanctuaries, Meek stated tourism is Crystal River’s driving financial power. Citrus County welcomes about a million vacationers a yr, he famous.
Whereas there’s some concern concerning the flood’s impact on tourism, Meek stated Crystal River’s guests typically come for the pure sights, that are nonetheless effectively intact, and he anticipates speedy restoration.
“Our vacationers come to benefit from the river, and as soon as the tide goes down, which it’s proper now, clearly the river is there, and the power to take pleasure in that’s there,” Meek stated.
Proper now, the mayor’s focus is on the residents and getting them again of their properties, he stated.
“It’s a tragic day for Crystal River, however we’re a resilient group that has been via this earlier than, and I am assured that we are going to come out of it stronger,” Meek stated. “However sadly, we have lots of people which might be hurting proper now.”
Rebuilding efforts forward
Whereas the city was spared from wind harm as Hurricane Idalia steered additional west from Crystal River, Meek stated he anticipates vital flood harm to properties and companies due to the storm surge, with restoration anticipated to take as much as a yr.
The water has begun to recede Wednesday, however numerous standing water stays in the way in which of restoration efforts. Meek stated as soon as the roads are clear, residents will probably be allowed to return.
“We have been via this earlier than. We all know what must occur,” the mayor stated. “And as quickly because the water recedes, and we’re capable of begin cleansing up, we are going to do this.”
Many residents and enterprise house owners heeded warnings concerning the storm earlier than it was too late, Meek stated, and evacuations started two days in the past.
