See the impact of Hurricane Helene around Sarasota
By
Observer Staff
| 8:00 a.m. September 27, 2024
| Updated 6:55 p.m. September 29, 2024
Sarasota
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Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in the Big Bend region of Florida at about 11:10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26.
Around the coast in Sarasota, landscaping crews were everywhere on Friday morning, starting cleanup of the debris in the streets and around homes. Most of the damage was all from the surge — no trees or power lines down in the neighborhood, just a mess of leaves and branches and pools of debris where the surging water deposited it.
Robert Dynan, with Dynan Construction, drove through Harbor Drive Thursday night to check on a few projects he has in the area. He said all of the flooding started after 7 p.m. "All of the water just started flooding in; it was like it came in all at once," Dynan said. "You could see the surge rising about a foot an hour. All that just kind of happened."
He added: "I feel bad for all these folks. They're going to have a lot of work ahead."
Piles of sand line both sides of Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key after crews worked to clear the road Friday.
Courtesy image
Sand surrounds a home in the 3000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key. Feet of sand were deposited on the island from Hurricane Helen's storm surge.
Courtesy image
Benjamin Franklin Drive on Lido Key is left covered in sand after storm surge from Hurricane Helene swept the road Thursday night.
Courtesy image
Benjamin Franklin Drive on Lido Key is left covered in sand after storm surge from Hurricane Helene swept the road Thursday night.
Courtesy image
The storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico moved walkways leading to Lido Key Beach.
Courtesy image
St. Armands Key was still inundated with water and impassible Friday afternoon.
Courtesy image
Roads and sidewalks at St. Armands Circle were flooded around 1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27.
Photo by Austin Scherer
Broken glass lies in front of the Southern Tide store on St. Armands Circle around 1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27.
Photo by Austin Scherer
Roads and sidewalks at St. Armands Circle were flooded around 1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27.
Photo by Austin Scherer
Broken glass lies in front of a storefront on St. Armands Circle around 1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27.
Photo by Austin Scherer
At the 5600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key, the Gulf flowed into the condominium complex, leaving behind sand and destroyed vegetation Friday morning.
Photo by Melissa Williams Fraley
The 5600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key.
Photo by Melissa Williams Fraley
At the 5600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key, the Gulf flowed into the condominium complex, leaving behind sand and destroyed vegetation Friday morning.
Photo by Melissa Williams Fraley
At the 5600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key, the Gulf flowed into the condominium complex, leaving behind sand and destroyed vegetation Friday morning.
Photo by Melissa Williams Fraley
St. Armands Circle was still flooded on Friday afternoon following Hurricane Helene.
Photo by Pat Robinson
St. Armands Circle was still flooded on Friday afternoon following Hurricane Helene.
Photo by Pat Robinson
St. Armands Circle was still flooded on Friday afternoon following Hurricane Helene.
Photo by Pat Robinson
St. Armands Circle was still flooded on Friday afternoon following Hurricane Helene.
Photo by Pat Robinson
The pool at Seaplace on Longboat Key took on a lot of sand with storm surge overwash.
Photo by Stacey Warren
Debris along Gulf of Mexico Drive.
Photo by Lorenzo Condensa
Cafe L’Europe on St. Armand’s Circle is completely destroyed.
Photo by Will Parrard
Storm surge took out almost every dock on Longbay Boulevard across from the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
Photo by Melissa Leduc
Storm surge took out almost every dock on Longbay Boulevard across from the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
Photo by Melissa Leduc
Portions of Casey Key Road were destroyed by Hurricane Helene. Through Friday morning, the barrier islands are still experiencing flooding.
Image courtesy of Sarasota County
Thursday night's storm surge versus Friday morning.
Photos by Melissa Leduc
A boat washed ashore on Westmorland Drive in Whitfield Estates.
Photo by Melissa Leduc
Whitfield Estates on Sarasota Bay on Friday morning.
Photo by Melissa Leduc
Whitfield Estates on Sarasota Bay on Friday morning.
Photo by Melissa Leduc
Storm surge in Whitfield Estates on Sarasota Bay on Thursday night, Sept. 26.
Photo by Melissa Leduc
Storm surge in Whitfield Estates on Sarasota Bay on Thursday night, Sept. 26.
Photo by Melissa Leduc
Storm surge in Whitfield Estates on Sarasota Bay on Thursday night, Sept. 26.
Photo by Melissa Leduc
Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key following Hurricane Helene on the morning of Sept. 27.
Photo by Robin Otto West
Nancy Ienna has lived in her Harbor Drive house for more than 30 years. She said it has never flooded. "We were always the highest point on the street," she said. About 8:30 p.m. Thursday, the water started rising up the driveway, but she said about an hour later, water began rushing in under her doors, which she just replaced with storm doors a few months ago. Ienna said she had two feet of water in the house. "The water was quite fast," she said.
Photo by Kat Wingert
A washed out water barrier lies in Harbor Drive Friday morning after Hurricane Helene flooded many sections of the street Thursday night.
Photo by Kat Wingert
The house at 1376 Harbor Drive shows a watermark of where the storm surge came from Sarasota Bay Thursday night.
Photo by Kat Wingert
The house at 1394 Harbor Drive had water surge over from Sarasota Bay and into the street on Harbor Drive. Flooding in the neighborhood was inconsistent, with some areas gathering feet of water and others remaining mostly untouched.
Photo by Kat Wingert
A watermark on a Harbor Drive mailbox shows how high the storm surge came Thursday night.
Photo by Kat Wingert
Parts of Hillview Drive flooded were flooded the morning of Sept. 27. Some damage sustained to homes, and the sound of wetvacs fills the air.
Photo by Kat Wingert
Parts of Hillview Drive flooded were flooded the morning of Sept. 27. Some damage sustained to homes, and the sound of wetvacs fills the air.
Photo by Kat Wingert
Parts of Hillview Drive flooded following Hurricane Helene.
Photo by Kat Wingert
The road at 1435 Hillview Drive was flooded at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 27.
Photo by Kat Wingert
A flooded street on Siesta Key.
Image courtesy of Sarasota County Government
A boat wrecked at O’Leary’s dock
Photo by Jim DeLa
Damage at Sarasota's Bayfront Park
Photo by Jim DeLa
Damage at Sarasota's Bayfront Park
Photo by Jim DeLa
Damage at Sarasota's Bayfront Park
Photo by Jim DeLa
A boat at Bayfront Park
Photo by Jim DeLa
A boat at Bayfront Park
Photo by Jim DeLa
Siesta Bridge was closed at 8:15 a.m. Sept. 27 following Hurricane Helene.
