Live updates: Recovery and cleanup begins after Hurricane Helene slams Manatee County

Officials in Manatee County began the recovery process Friday morning after Hurricane Helene slammed through the area as a major Category 4 storm.

Damage and flooding have been reported throughout the Bradenton area, including severe flooding on Anna Maria Island, Cortez and along the Manatee River.

In pictures and videos posted overnight, various Manatee County government agencies shared footage of intense flooding that closed several major roads, such as the Palma Sola Causeway, the Cortez Bridge and the Green Bridge.

Residents seek access to Anna Maria Island homes

Traffic near Cortez Bridge piled to a standstill Friday as residents looked to return to their homes on or near the island. Many people were forced to sit and wait as police told them the bridges were closed with no timetable for reopening.

A line of parked cars formed as a parade of work trucks, heavy equipment vehicles and law enforcement passed by them and the roadblock to bring assistance to the island.

Chaun Buttorff spent Friday trying to get back to his home at Flamingo Cay, a boating community in West Bradenton near Anna Maria Island. Buttorff, a 50-year-old man who stayed in Plant City during the storm, said he left to return home at 7:30 a.m. and was still waiting for access several hours later.

Buttorff said while he hasn’t had a chance to see his home in person to assess any potential damage, the storm may have damaged his boat.

“I’ve never seen anything like this. But we’re just doing the best we can and looking around, I think we’re doing better than some,” Buttorff said.

Others, tired of waiting for the bridges to open, caught boat rides to Anna Maria Island. One man, who was ferrying a group looking to paddleboard and surf post-storm, said he’d been on and off the island all day and that most of the parts he’d been to were “completely underwater.” He said he’d be surprised if the island opened anytime soon.

As of 4:15 p.m. Friday, the Bradenton Police Department announced the Manatee Avenue Bridge remains closed but the Palma Sola Causeway is now open to the base of the drawbridge near Neal Preserve.

— 5:15 p.m.

Flooding totally inundates Cortez

At Paradise Bay Estates along Cortez Road, cars navigated flooded neighborhood streets with debris scattered in every direction as neighbors gathered to assess the damage.

Residents of the mobile home park woke up to roofs caved in, siding ripped off their homes and personal belongings buried among the litter. Remnants of a dock were torn to pieces in the water, in the middle of the street and on a nearby lawn.

The row of homes closest to the water in the park were “devastated.”

“Everyone on that whole street lost everything. There’s nothing. Not a single person has anything left,” said Jim Gath, 79, who is one of many residents left with “nothing” after the storm.

“My house is totally destroyed. It’s bulldozer material,” Gath said.

Gath said he’s lived in his home for 25 years. During that time, he’s never seen anything like what he saw Friday morning in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

“It’s just beyond. I don’t think I could have envisioned anything like this. This is probably the 10th hurricane I’ve lived through here and I’ve never even had any damage,” Gath said.

But all that changed when water started rushing into his mobile home around 5 a.m. Now all Gath can do is look for a black filing cabinet that floated away with his most important belongings while he picks up family photos and personal items off the ground.

“I still haven’t found my television set,” Gath said.

As for what’s next, Gath will try to pick up the pieces of his life and manage as best he can while living with his daughter in Atlanta.

“Unless something changes drastically, you probably won’t see me in Bradenton for a while,” Gath said. “It’s the hand that got dealt to you. I’ll survive it.”

Several other mobile home parks in the area also reported flooding overnight. The entrance to Sunny Shores Mobile Home Park in the 3900 block of 116th St. W. was under 2 to 3 feet of water Friday morning, with police directing traffic in and out of the park as residents tried to wade through the water to get to their homes.

The nearby fishing village of Cortez also experienced extensive damage due to flooding and strong winds.

Water lines several feet high lined fences throughout the historic neighborhood, as people piled mattresses, clothes and personal belongings on the side of the road to dry or throw out due to water damage.

One man said he had to evacuate Thursday when the storm surge became too much to handle at home. He took his dog in a kayak and waded in the water until they reached higher elevation. While he and the dog are OK, he said many of his personal belongings are ruined due to water damage.

Meanwhile, those venturing to A.P. Bell Fish Company were greeted by an unusual sight: a boat sitting in the middle of a flooded street. The Star Fish Company, the iconic seafood restaurant nearby also owned by Cortez staple Karen Bell, suffered severe damage, with much of the wooden deck and seating area in splintered pieces.

— 3:50 p.m.

Skyway and other Tampa Bay area bridges partially reopen

The northbound lanes of the Sunshine Skyway have reopened as of 11:45 a.m., Florida Highway Patrol said in a news release. The southbound lanes remain closed.

Additionally, southbound lanes of the Howard Frankland Bridge and westbound lanes of the Gandy Bridge are open.

— 11:45 a.m.

Nearly 2,000 911 calls during Helene

Manatee County’s 911 center fielded nearly 2,000 calls for assistance overnight Thursday as Hurricane Helene barreled through Manatee County, an official told the Bradenton Herald.

The center saw about 1,700 calls for help overall, according to Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge. More than half of those calls came from residents and tourists on Anna Maria Island, he said.

Early numbers show that the island was battered by over 6 feet of storm surge, leaving several dozen homes and businesses with sand and water infiltration Friday morning. The island remains closed to visitors and residents, officials say.

“There’s catastrophic damage out there,” Van Ostenbridge said. “A lot of areas on the island still have standing water this morning.”

— 11:35 a.m.

Bradenton residents asked to conserve water

City of Bradenton officials are urging residents to conserve water Friday and Saturday.

City officials said water treatment systems are “severely strained” due to the Category 4 hurricane’s storm surge that caused intense flooding throughout Manatee County overnight. Crews are working to restore services on Friday, according to a news release.

Residents are asked to cut back on their water use by avoiding laundry, using the dishwasher, taking long showers, leaving the faucet on while brushing their teeth or watering their lawns.

— 11:25 a.m.

Anna Maria Island bridges remain closed, sheriff says

The Cortez Bridge and the Manatee Avenue Bridge that connect Anna Maria Island to Bradenton remain closed Friday morning, according to an update from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

In a social media post, the law enforcement agency confirmed that the barrier island suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Helene. Homes are businesses on Anna Maria Island are without power and water, deputies say.

“No one is allowed on the island until the ‘First In Teams’ clear roads & officials deem it safe to return,” the agency said.

— 10:05 a.m.

Helene causes ‘devastating damage,’ officials say

Despite not making direct landfall in Manatee County, Hurricane Helene caused significant damage throughout the Bradenton area, emergency officials said in a Friday morning news release.

“We saw devastating damage along our beaches,” Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske said. “We had significant flooding across the county.”

According to Manatee County Government, emergency crews were able to rescue and evacuate over 300 people affected by the storm on Anna Maria Island and other parts of the county.

The recovery process has begun, but county officials are urging residents to remain patient and safe as the cleanup gets underway.

“This is going to be an incredible long-term recovery operation,” said Fiske. “We are already working to get resources from the state. We are going to have points of distribution up throughout the county.”

— 9:50 a.m.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge remains closed

Florida’s Sunshine Skyway Bridge connecting Manatee and Pinellas counties remains closed Friday morning, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed in a news release.

The bridge closed to all southbound and northbound traffic Thursday afternoon after wind gusts reached 60 miles per hour.

— 9:15 a.m.

Bradenton residents assess Helene’s damage

Local residents woke up Friday morning to begin assessing Hurricane Helene’s aftermath.

At the Trailer Estates Mobile Home Park near Sarasota Bay, Pete Thornton discovered that a shipping container from across the street had floated across the road and slammed into the foundation of his mobile home.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” Thornton said.

In another area of the trailer park, two boats were unmoored by strong waves and knocked ashore.

— 8:50 a.m.

Thousands still without power in Manatee

As of Friday morning, more than 40,000 homes are still without power, according to power outage maps.

FPL reported that Helene impacted electricity service for more than 63,000 customers in Manatee County. As of 8:40 a.m., over 40,000 are still without power, the provider said.

Peace River Electric Cooperative, Manatee County’s other electricity provider, reported about 300 customers without power Friday morning.

— 8:40 a.m.

This developing story will be updated. Stay tuned to Bradenton.com for updates.

This story was originally published September 27, 2024 at 8:24 AM.

Ryan Callihan

Bradenton Herald

941-745-7095

Ryan Callihan is the Bradenton Herald’s Senior Editor. As a reporter in Manatee County, he won awards for his local government and environmental coverage. Ryan is a graduate of USF St. Petersburg. Support my work with a digital subscription