Lee County Sheriff "Fatalities in the Hundreds"

[SKIP KILPATRICK]

This morning on ABC's Good Morning America

Commenting on the destruction from Ian. "Total deaths unknown, but confirmed so far the fatalities are in the hundreds."

My heart goes out to the people in the storms path.

[skuthorp]

Comment on one of the static cameras was that they'd seen a body float by.

[CK 17]

It’s probably a hard choice to make. The storm was supposed to hit Tampa. It then shifted south. Millions of people hitting the road at the same time can’t be pleasant. Where do you go? The storm is going north, I guess Miami was an option. Where do you stay, in your car? I don’t blame people for making the choice to stay.

the real problem here is several million people living in a hurricane/flood zone.

[Fitz]

It was pointed out yesterday on the weather channel that you, "Don't have to go that far". Shacking up in a hotel just a few miles inland can make all the difference in the world. They had staff at a hotel in Sarasota that was 9 miles inland and conditions were dramatically better and there was no storm surge to worry about.

Fitz

[elf]

Eye of the storm sure took it's good old time waltzing across the state. An hour ago it still had not arrived on the other side. Imagine the destruction. Kinda cut Florida in half, there.

[birlinn]

Nasty; I sincerely hope that figure is an exaggeration.
I wonder why they didn't move- there was plenty of warning.
Was it "Nobody tells me what to do", or did they think the forecasts were fake news, or a hoax by the climate change brigade?

[Nicholas Carey]

I saw interviews with liveaboards in Fort Myers Beach (Estero Island) who were planning to ride it out on the boats. In the marina. Not even moving her up the river to something resembling a safe place beforehand.

[SKIP KILPATRICK]

Nasty; I sincerely hope that figure is an exaggeration.
I wonder why they didn't move- there was plenty of warning.
Was it "Nobody tells me what to do", or did they think the forecasts were fake news, or a hoax by the climate change brigade?

Could be some of that. But often times the elderly with limited resources and inadequate support that are victims of these tragedies.

[birlinn]

Sadly that will be part of the scene, Skip.

[Jim Bow]

The sheriff has walked it back a bit. He said it was a rash comment based on a report of the number of unanswered 911 calls. He admits he spoke too soon.

[The Ranger]

Friend of our daughter lives in Naples. She tried to evacuate but the roads were clogged with cars so she returned home. As the storm hit she was forced to break a window to then climb to the roof. A wave swept her from the roof but she was able to flag down a passing boat. She wound up in the ER as she was hit by lots of debris in the water. Thank goodness she is still alive.

[SKIP KILPATRICK]

My heart goes out to your daughter and all those in her community.

[Figment]

I saw interviews with liveaboards in Fort Myers Beach (Estero Island) who were planning to ride it out on the boats. In the marina. Not even moving her up the river to something resembling a safe place beforehand.

I saw video of one such boat motoring out of the harbor at fort myers yesterday afternoon. a mid-40' aft cabin MY would not be my choice of vessel for that kind of adventure, but if we make the assumption that it was a liveaboard... Their berth in ft myers was probably destroyed (and not going to be repaired anytime soon). If given the choice of having their home destroyed against the pilings and bulkheads or bugging out and heading for Key West, I might run south too.

[Canoez]

Friend of our daughter lives in Naples. She tried to evacuate but the roads were clogged with cars so she returned home. As the storm hit she was forced to break a window to then climb to the roof. A wave swept her from the roof but she was able to flag down a passing boat. She wound up in the ER as she was hit by lots of debris in the water. Thank goodness she is still alive.

Awful. So sorry to hear that - glad she's still with us.

[Figment]

I think Collier county got surprised by this one as well. My inlaws in Naples had water right to the front door, far higher than any other storm they can remember, and they're in a rather forgiving floodplain south of the main part of town.
My (late) grandfatherinlaw's neighbor at the mouth of the Marco River sent video of his old place, water was 4-5' deep on the patio. I'm told that the previous high water mark over his 50year residence there was about knee high.