Hurricane Helene has broken records all along the west coast of Florida, which is facing some of the worst flooding it has seen since 1921. The damage is catastrophic as the category 3 storm made landfall early on September 26 in the big bend, ripping through north Florida, Georgia, parts of Tennessee, and devastating the Carolinas. Though landfall was far out of the way of places like Pinellas County and Treasure Island, that hug the middle west coast of Florida, it was the storm surge Helene created that caused major flooding in people’s homes, destroying the beautiful beach getaway. Wind speeds and rain were also a part of the storm, knocking out power and toppling trees. Reports of casualties in Pinellas County alerted residents on how serious this storm was. To add on to the severe flooding, Treasure Island’s famed beachfront sustained heavy damage, which has never been seen, even by residents who have called this lovely place home for more than 50 years. Several piers destroyed, dunes eroded, coastal business destroyed, hotels destroyed, restaurants destroyed, and so many homes decimated as a result of this terrifying storm. Clean-up efforts could take months before all debris is lifted from roads and beaches.
“I have lived here my entire life…and I have seen nothing close to the damage Helene has caused…”
Treasure Island resident Robert Duffy
Many businesses were forced to close permanently due to the insurmountable damage done, and the businesses here near the beaches are the main money makers for Treasure Island; it is very tough to think of a timeline for the recovery of this beautiful beach town.
Treasure Island issued a mandatory evacuation for certain zones ahead of the storm, which has happened in the past, and usually resulted in nothing, so some residents ignored the mandatory evacuation due to the past storms that were all bark and no bite.
Unfortunately, Helene was a giant wake up call for the entire state, and no storm will be underestimated in the future. Many of those residents who stayed now face long waits for rescue teams. As roads remain impassable due to flooding and downed power lines. Utility crews and lots of disaster relief resources are now in all parts of Pinellas County, aiding those in desperate need.
Debris from the storm surge destroyed many people’s homes and even filled peoples’ yards. The home pictured above is actually my home, and I can speak firsthand about the devastation the area has faced during this late hurricane season. “We bought land in Treasure Island because of the movie Summer Rental with John Candy, and we have never fathomed that storm surge could decimate the city we love so dearly…” says Stella Myers, a longtime resident of Treasure Island. Hurricanes had a different stigma prior to Helene, it was almost a call for a party, or just a fun night, but I can tell you now that has changed forever, and no single person in Pinellas County will downplay a hurricane ever again.
“We had people swimming toward our home, screaming for help…” – Bonnie McBride.
I spoke with a lot of the residents on my street that decided to stick around in their homes during this traumatic event, and they will never forget the hellish nightmare that ensued that night. A house down the street unfortunately caught on fire due to lithium batteries in the garage getting engulfed by water, causing them to malfunction and explode creating a fire, that eventually burned the house to the ground. The homeowners swam in the surge to try and find safety, screaming for help. Bonnie, someone also on the street, is in a big two-story home which is safe to be in, because the surge would not reach above 1 story. Bonnie opened her doors and housed neighbors to keep them safe, while everything they own gets washed away.
