WINK Exclusive: Surveying the skies with LCSO after Milton

Published: Updated:

The day after Hurricane Milton threatened Southwest Florida, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office took to the skies to survey the damage left behind.

WINK News reporter Liz Biro got an exclusive look at the damage from above on Thursday as she rode along in the LCSO chopper with Sheriff Carmine Marceno.

After taking off from LCSO headquarters, WINK News flew all across Lee County, where some of the damage stood out.

It was difficult to distinguish where the damage from Hurricane Milton began, where the destruction from Hurricane Helene lingered and where the devastation from Hurricane Ian remained.

“You wouldn’t know we had a storm, a major storm, as you look down right now. It’s unbelievable,” said Marceno.

Flying over inland Cape Coral, roofs were seen still intact, and canals were clean of widespread debris.

“As we look at the mangroves, in Ian, it was totally different. You had homes in the waterways, you had debris all over the mangroves,” said Marceno. “There’s no debris, there’s no real damage per se, but now when you get to the Matlacha area, you start to see all the debris in the mangroves and boats washed ashore.”

On Matlacha, Hurricane Helene pushed several feet of water into residents’ homes. On the morning of Milton, a tornado ripped through the area, tipping over power lines and tearing through roofs.

As they flew towards Sanibel, it was visible how Milton changed the gulf. What was once blue is now brown as a result of sediment churning in the water and runoff coming from the land.

“As we approach the beach, we’re gonna get to see some of the surge and what that did exactly to the county,” said Marceno.

Water pooled around homes in the barrier islands, with roofs intact and buildings still standing.

The beach is heavily eroded but the lighthouse stands strong.

On the way to Fort Myers Beach, brown freshwater from runoff could be seen separated from the blue gulf water.

As the helicopter touched down near a pavilion, damage was much more visible on the ground.

“Get out there. Strangers help strangers. This is when people come together and do the best they can do to help everyone,” said Marceno. “If a restaurant is open, go in and support them. go in and buy pizza or whatever they have. Keep their doors open and help them in their time of need.”

Helping each other is what this community does best, and we know how to do it well.

Just like the storms before, this community will rise again.

The winds can strip roofs, the surge can inundate buildings and cover our Times Square with sand, but they can’t shake the strength and resilience of the people.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.