Meet Rodney Andreasen, Jackson County emergency management director and one of the many victims who still suffers from the consequences Hurricane Michael has had on Florida’s northwest.
Due to the wreckage and debris left behind after the hurricane, Panhandle has suffered from other natural disasters such as flooding, wildfires and even the fear of their communities being affected by mosquito-borne diseases. In addition to this, citizens of Panhandle also worry about the upcoming hurricane season and the effect another storm could have on their cities that are still trying to recover.
The Miami Herald reported that there are about 500 million tree debris across more than 2.8 million acres of land, something that has turned into “kindling-dry powder keg,” said Jim Karels, director of the Florida Forest Service., putting more than 230 communities at an increased threat of fire. Among other things, in the northwest, debris has accumulated causing exacerbated flooding across the area. The state has worked to clear debris across the Chipola River and Econfina Creek, but still the water levels are above typical, creating hazardous conditions.
Funding has been granted by the state and organizations like FEMA to repair losses and aid the citizens of Panhandle, however due to the amount of damage in the area residents still feel abandoned and hopeless, seeing recovery as a very distant possibility.
Read the full article by The Miami Herald here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article231160978.html
