Hurricane Helene leaves wake of destruction in Manatee County

Hurricane Helene leaves wake of destruction in Manatee, Sarasota counties

FOX 13's Kim Kuizon reports.

HOLMES BEACH, Fla. - Manatee County residents and visitors are being kept off Anna Maria Island, Flamingo Cay, and Long Boat Key while officials assess the damage left behind by Hurricane Helene.

The hurricane, which rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm before making landfall in the Big Bend area, flooded streets, piled sand on roads, and knocked out power in Manatee County.

Anna Maria Island

Even though evacuations have been lifted, Anna Maria Island is still closed.

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Courtesy: Manatee County

No one will be allowed onto the island until the first teams in can clear the roads and determine that it is safe to return. Once it is cleared, only residents with reentry tags will be allowed onto the island.

Holmes Beach

As of 6 a.m. on Friday, the island did not have power or water and many roads were flooded.

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Credit: Holmes Beach Police Department

No one will be allowed onto the island until the first teams can clear the roads, and we determine that it is safe to return. Once it is cleared, only residents with re-entry tags will be allowed onto the island.

READ: Hundreds of Bay Area residents rescued from record storm surge from Hurricane Helene

According to the Holmes Beach Police Department, the beach came over Gulf Drive in many places.

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Credit: Manatee County Sheriff's Office

Cortez Village and Trailer Estates were hammered by Helene. Photos posted by the Manatee County Sheriff’s show destroyed buildings, debris, downed trees, and even a mermaid statue in the middle of a flooded street.

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