Neighbors had piled debris in their yards and hung up clothes and other items on lines outside their homes. In the surrounding area, traffic lights were still shot and many stores were still dark. Many of Johnson's neighbors are snowbirds and don't come down until October, she said, but many were now returning after the storm to help their neighbors. The death toll is at least 21 as of Friday, with state officials expecting the number to rise. Homes were swept away, boats were destroyed, and city infrastructure has been damaged, leaving nearly entire communities without power. On Wednesday, Ian tore through Florida's west coast and slammed the state with catastrophic winds and storm surges.

She watched from the windows as neighbors' homes blew away.

They arrived to see flooding and debris filling their winter paradise.įORT MYERS, Florida - Susan Johnson, 68, rode out Hurricane Ian with her husband and some neighbors at the clubhouse in her mobile home community. Popular among 'snowbirds' who head south for the winter months, the part-time residents came back early.

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)įort Myers, Florida was one of the hardest-hit areas in Hurricane Ian's path. In this aerial photo made in a flight provided by, damage from Hurricane Ian is seen on Estero Island in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., Friday, Sept.

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