TALLAHASSEE — Florida has faced another direct hit from a major storm for the second consecutive hurricane season. As the 2023 season approaches its end next week, the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia will continue to impact rural North Florida, particularly affecting the agriculture industry.
State lawmakers are expected to receive requests for additional funds, and adjustments to state and local storm-recovery planning are deemed necessary.
Despite initial forecasts indicating a “near-normal” season with 12 to 17 named storms, the six-month period is concluding as one of the most active on record, with 20 named systems so far.
Fortunately, only a few areas in Florida were affected, and the storms, led by Idalia, did not reach the levels of destruction and fatalities witnessed during the harsh 2022 season with Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole.
Director Kevin Guthrie of the State Division of Emergency Management stated that Idalia’s landfall as a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 125 mph in the lightly populated Keaton Beach area of Taylor County caused catastrophic damage to numerous rural counties in the Big Bend area. However, he noted that the impact was lessened due to the storm surge occurring in an uninhabited area.
While acknowledging state and federal assistance, Mayor Heath Davis of Cedar Key, a hard-hit area, attributed the community’s resilience to hosting their annual Seafood Festival just 42 days after the disaster. However, he emphasized the need for continued assistance, especially for the struggling clam industry, which plays a significant role in the community.
Guthrie credited lessons learned from previous hurricanes like Irma in 2017, Michael in 2018, and Ian and Nicole in 2022 for expediting the recovery after Idalia. He highlighted the unprecedented response, with $247 million allocated within the first 80 days of the disaster.
Emergency officials are now considering several changes in the wake of Idalia. This includes revising contracts to extend assistance to local emergency-management directors, enhancing technology for automated purchasing orders, and increasing staff in a small-contract unit to handle invoices and assist counties with procurement contracts.
Lawmakers recently approved just over $288 million for Idalia-related issues during a special session this month.
Idalia caused problems in Southwest Florida, flooding roads in several areas and causing damage to key infrastructure. The storm, making landfall on Aug. 30, resulted in losses estimated between $3 billion and $5 billion.
Comparatively, Hurricane Ian, which made landfall in September 2022, has projected overall losses of $112 billion, making it the costliest in Florida’s history.
Agricultural damages caused by Idalia, including damage to poultry and aquaculture operations, field crops, and timber, have been estimated at $447 million. In contrast, Hurricane Ian took a $1.03 billion toll on the agriculture industry, particularly impacting the citrus sector.
Four out of the 10 deaths attributed to Idalia occurred in Florida, while Hurricane Ian caused 161 deaths, including 150 in Florida.
Idalia wasn’t Florida’s only encounter with storms this season. Tropical Storm Arlene and Tropical Storm Harold brought significant rainfall to South Florida in June and August, respectively. In mid-September, dangerous surf and rip currents created by Hurricane Lee off the East Coast resulted in a teen drowning in the Fernandina Beach area.
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