VENICE, Florida (WFLA) — Hurricane Ian has hit some communities while the Tampa Bay area focuses on subtropical storm Nicole.
Debris is still littered in some areas, and there are concerns that similar effects could be seen.
Parts of Sarasota County were hit pretty hard when Ian came along. We have proof of that even today.
Venice is calm now, but people are feeling a little uneasy heading into the second half of the week.
Cindy Alspach can still hear and feel the strong hurricane winds blowing through her home.
“I had 13 fallen trees in my yard,” Alspach said. “I just hope that none of the windows are broken.”
Amazingly, no one made it through the house, but much of her roof was lost.
“I used to see parts of my roof in other people’s gardens. Like two or three, four streets, it’s mine,” Alspach said.
The tarp above protects Alspach and her dog for now. She is a little nervous because she doesn’t know how long the repair will take. She watched the news on Monday, keeping an eye on Nicole for the subtropical storm.
“Seventy, seventy-five percent of the big ones are gone,” Alspach said. “So I think that limits the threat of being airborne.”
More than a month after Ian’s accident, homes and businesses are still boarding. Also, some crew members are still picking up debris in the neighborhood.
The staff estimates that after Ian, there were $135 million in losses across the county. There is still a lot of debris and cleanup to do, but Alspach remains positive.
“I’m going to do the best I can,” Alspak said. “This is my home and it’s where I feel the safest, so I’m not going to leave.”
Subtropical Storm Nicole is expected to reach hurricane strength before making landfall, according to the National Hurricane Center.
At 10 p.m. Monday, Nicole was located approximately 415 miles east of the northwestern Bahamas and was traveling northwest at 8 miles per hour. The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
