Articles Tagged with Hernando County

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season came to end on Saturday, but it left behind dozens of deaths and widespread damage across the state of Florida.

There were 18 named storms during the season that began June 1, including three that directly impacted Florida: Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.   63 people died as a result of those storms, and the Tampa Bay Business Journal reports they caused estimated losses of $5.3 billion, while bringing 314,000 insurance claims from homeowners and 16,000 by commercial property owners.

Following Hurricane Debby in early August, Hurricane Helene intensified rapidly before making landfall in Taylor County on the Florida coast Sept. 26 as a major Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 140 mp.  It brought catastrophic flooding and widespread wind damage from Florida’s Gulf Coast to the southern Appalachians.

LARGO, FL – While Florida residents continue their efforts to recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Milton, the financial costs of the storm are becoming more clear.

WTSP reports details of an assessment by Karen Clark & Company, which estimates that privately insured losses from Hurricane Milton are expected to reach $36 billon.  In terms of the most costly hurricanes on record, the total would rank Milton behind Hurricanes Katrina and Ian, while placing it at about the same level of losses as Hurricane Ida.

So far, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation estimates combined insured losses from Hurricanes Helene and Milton at over $3 billion.

SIESTA KEY, FL – Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday night near Siesta Key south of the Tampa Bay area and proceeded to batter Florida with torrential rain, powerful winds, and tornadoes, WTSP reports.

The storm arrived as a Category 3 hurricane, bringing maximum sustained winds at 120 mph and causing life-threatening storm surge in parts of central and southwest Florida.  The hurricane was moving off from Florida’s east coast into the Atlantic on Thursday morning, but a storm surge warning remained in place for much of the state’s east coast and parts of its west coast.  The worst storm surge was apparently in Sarasota County, where it was 8 to 10 feet

The dangerous hurricane brought more destruction to a region still trying to recover from the effects of Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago.

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Damage from the effects of Hurricane Helene has resulted in an estimated $657 million in insurance losses in Florida so far, according to a WUWF report.

Data from Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation showed that the losses increased to that total on Tuesday, up from $507 million the previous day.  65,716 claims had been filed as of Tuesday, an increase from 48,341 on Monday.

Over half the claims, 33,130, involved residential property, while others included damage to automobiles and commercial property.

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – People in many parts of Florida are now dealing with the damage and flooding left behind by Hurricane Helene, and the Hernando Sun reported on the impact of the storm in that particular region.

The county was hit hard by the hurricane, with the storm surge reaching 8 feet in the coastal areas.  Authorities made dozens of water rescues, and Hernando County Fire Rescue responded to several fires in the Hernando Beach area after seawater came in contact with lithium batteries used in toys, power tools, and electric vehicles.

Many residents experienced flooded homes, and damage or total loss of their belongings.  Widespread power outages added to the challenges of trying to recover.