SIESTA KEY, Florida, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Chris Fiore had been preparing to receive a delivery of new furniture and appliances to replace those damaged by Hurricane Helene just weeks ago. Instead, Fiore, a resident of Siesta Key, found herself sweeping out muck and seawater from her ground-floor condo after Hurricane Milton made landfall this week. The condo, which had been her dream home since purchasing it four years ago, was inundated.
“There’s no way I’m leaving,” Fiore said on Friday, gesturing to the wall where seawater had risen two feet earlier in the week. “I’m investing in hurricane windows and doors, figuring out how to keep the water out.”
Her determination was shared by many other Siesta Key residents who spoke to Reuters on Friday. Cleanup crews outnumbered residents as workers handed out business cards for roofing and construction services following two major hurricanes within a span of weeks.
Despite feeling disheartened, no one appeared ready to give up, even with the threat of stronger hurricanes looming. “It’s still paradise, even with this mess,” said Pat Hurst, a resident of Siesta Key since 2011, who has visited for over 20 years. “But cleaning up from one hurricane while preparing for another has been incredibly stressful.”
While outsiders might question why residents choose to stay in hurricane-prone areas, the charm of Siesta Key remains undeniable, even in the aftermath of a storm. The island, often compared to a living Jimmy Buffett song, features pastel-colored homes and condos, with streets lined by restaurants and bars. Post-Milton, the white sand of the beach had been swept inland, and personal belongings damaged by Helene were piled along the roads. Coconuts were scattered everywhere, and boats had been flung onto land. Dumpsters still overflowing from Helene’s debris were now being filled with Milton’s wreckage.
Elsewhere in the state, rescue operations continued as workers saved residents from rising floodwaters, according to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Many areas remained without power or fuel on Saturday, but federal aid was approved to help with recovery costs.
At least 17 deaths have been linked to Hurricane Milton, according to media reports. DeSantis indicated on Friday that he had no intention of stopping people from rebuilding in at-risk areas. “People have worked their whole lives to live in these beautiful places, and they have the right to make decisions regarding their own property,” he said.
Hurricane vulnerability remains a pressing issue for Florida, a state that has seen significant population growth since 2021 despite its low-lying landscape. According to Weather Source, an environmental risk consultancy, 78 of the 80 most hurricane-vulnerable areas in the U.S. are located in Florida. Property insurance in the state averaged $4,060 in 2023, nearly $1,000 more than any other state.
Sherry Tom, 49, convinced her family to move to Siesta Key in 2021, leaving behind Pittsburgh’s cold winters. “This place is everything to me,” she said. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about the possibility of this happening again. If we can, we’re staying.” Tom believes their home will need to be demolished and rebuilt from scratch, but she is determined to remain.
Marko Radosavljevic, 54, owns a historic home built with water-resistant pecky cypress by Siesta Key’s first developer, Frank Archibald. Though the home has withstood water and wind damage over the past two weeks, Radosavljevic isn’t considering leaving. “I won’t be driven out,” he said, alluding to both hurricanes and efforts to replace older homes like his with hotels.
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