As the remnants of a weakened Hurricane Ian make its way up the East Coast, the state of Florida is entering into a phase of rescue, recovery, and restoration.
Although a revived Hurricane Ian hit the Carolinas as well, Florida remains the most severely damaged.
The category 4 storm reached Florida on Wednesday, September 28, with wind speeds reaching up to 150 mph. The storm continued to devastate southwest Florida with flooding and power outages, with millions of Floridians under strict evacuation orders.
Currently, the death toll is estimated at 85 and over 1 million residents are without power.
Despite touching down over 800 miles from Milligan, students on campus are still being affected by the storm.
Junior Nathan Smiley is a Fort Myers native whose family is dealing with the aftermath of the storm while he remains on campus.
“My father is going back as we speak to see the extent of the damage,” he said. “We’re hoping for the best. Most of my friends live farther inland than me so they only received minor damages, but still no power and electricity.”
With recovery efforts now initiated, Fort Myers residents will inevitably come face-to-face with the wreckage left by the worst of the storm.
“Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach do not exist anymore,” Smiley added. “My prayers go out to those people whose businesses and houses are destroyed…it’s only ten minutes from my house.”
Smiley is a skilled tennis player and SGA member, and though he has roots planted at Milligan, Florida is very much still his home. He expressed that he plans to move back to Florida after graduation to work as a tennis coach.
“It was a very weird feeling knowing what was coming to a place I live, yet not being able to see it physically,” he said. “It did not feel real until I saw videos from my city underwater and boats on the roads and the bridges I would cross regularly collapsed.”
Smiley isn’t the only Milligan student being affected by Hurricane Ian. About an hour south of Orlando is Avon Park, Florida, which is where graduate student Jeston Mason calls home.
“My family and our neighbors were very fortunate,” he said. “Our houses were elevated just high enough to prevent flooding.”
Mason described the homes, including his own, in his neighborhood as “islands,” with most electrical boxes submerged under water.
“Restoring power will not be an option until the waters recede and electrical equipment is dry,” he said.
Like many across Florida, Mason’s family is adapting to the lack of electricity. His parents are currently keeping their fridges and freezers running off of the power from their cars.
Although there is a level of discomfort that comes from being off-the-grid, he considers his family blessed.
“We’re much more fortunate than the residents in the Fort Myers area,” he said.
Disaster relief efforts are underway throughout the state and will continue through the coming weeks. Returning to a state of normalcy will undoubtedly be a difficult task, but Mason is encouraged by how quickly Florida local’s come together.
“One of my favorite things about hurricanes in Florida is the way the community will come together after the storm to help restore normal functioning,” he said. “It’s common to see people driving around with power tools and other supplies to help clear roads or offer assistance however they can.”
To learn more about the ongoing disaster relief processes for Hurricane Ian, please visit https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2022/red-cross-responds-to-hurricane-ian.html.
Headline photo by Ricardo Arduengo/ AFP via Getty Images