BONNITA SPRINGS, FL — Collier County continues efforts to clean up beach debris in preparation for snowbird season.
Everything inside the seaside home was dragged out by Hurricane Ian onto a barefoot beach in Naples.
Collier County Coastal Zone Manager Andy Miller said it’s been three weeks since Ian and the beach were finally starting to come back to normal.
He remembered the first time his team saw the beach after the hurricane.
“We were on the beach after the hurricane, probably at six in the morning,” he said.
Since then, they have assessed the damage and mobilized crews to begin clearing debris off Collier Beach.
“They came out with beach rigs and buckets and started working end to end,” he said.
Miller said Barefoot Beach was the hardest hit in Collier County.
Although the beach appears safe for swimming, Miller says objects washed up on the shore are seen every day.
“It can be submerged, it can be floating, it can be dangerous,” he said.
Collier County’s Florida Department of Health continues to advise the public not to swim in water because of the potential increase in water-borne illnesses.
Water quality will continue to be tested regularly, according to the DOH.
