Coastline endured 'significant and widespread damage' from Tropical Storm Ian

Sheldon Gardner, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·3 min read

Tropical Storm Ian caused major damage to Volusia County's coastline, putting buildings on the verge of collapse and causing "numerous seawall failures and significant erosion," according to county officials.

"This is significant and widespread damage," county Public Works Director Ben Bartlett said at the County Council meeting this week. "It's worse than (Hurricane) Matthew. Multiple seawall failures. Dune erosion."

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Approximately 500 homes “experienced some level of damage in Ponce Inlet,” which was caused by “beach erosion” and “seawall intrusion.”
Approximately 500 homes “experienced some level of damage in Ponce Inlet,” which was caused by “beach erosion” and “seawall intrusion.”

Hurricane Matthew swiped the East Coast of Florida in 2016 and caused $10.3 billion in damage in the U.S., according to the National Weather Service.

Bartlett and several other county officials shared updates this week to the Volusia County Council on the hurricane response and ongoing damage assessments. Bartlett shared photos of some of the storm damage, including a collapsed seawall and dunes that had been eaten away by storm surge and waves.

He showed an image of damaged beach ramps, including one in Florida Shores.

An image from Volusia County officials shows damage to a beach ramp in Florida Shores after Tropical Storm Ian.
An image from Volusia County officials shows damage to a beach ramp in Florida Shores after Tropical Storm Ian.

"That's concrete right there. I mean it looks like a Saltine cracker got cracked," he said.

Here is a look at some of the damage and related information reported by Volusia County officials this week from Tropical Storm Ian:

  • During the storm, first responders performed 951 high-water rescues.

  • A countywide damage assessment is ongoing, and as of Tuesday the damage estimate for Volusia residents and businesses was over $156 million. That number, a preliminary estimate from the county property appraiser's office, is expected to increase, according to a county news release.

  • Fifteen of the county's 33 beach ramps need major repairs.

  • Of 140 beach walkovers, officials closed 91 because of damage.

  • Frank Rendon Park, Lighthouse Point Park and the Ponce Inlet jetty received heavy damage.

  • The county's water and sewer treatment plants received "minimal damage." Two lift stations overflowed. Officials shut down the Stone Island pump station because of flooding.  In Orange City, 53 residents were under a boil-water notice after a water main break. Also, a gravity sewer main broke in DeBary.

  • About 1/4 of county-maintained roads, about 247 miles total, were covered with water during Tropical Storm Ian.  As of Tuesday, multiple sections of road were still impassible, and crews were working to restore access.

  • Daytona Beach International Airport officials are assessing the damage to the airfield. "Staff has repaired damage to the perimeter fence, and water that once covered that long-term parking lot has receded," according to the county.

  • Of the 59 parks that the county maintains, 47 were closed along with 13 county-maintained boat ramps. All county trails were also closed as of Tuesday.

Council members voted to extend the county's emergency declaration and to waive "application, permit and plan review fees for repair and reconstruction of residential and commercial structures" that were damaged in Tropical Storm Ian.

There are some requirements for getting a waiver.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Tropical Storm Ian aftermath: Major damage reported along Volusia coast