JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the first time, on Thursday, News4Jax is seeing Hurricane Irma's devastation to Eagle Bend Island, an area at the northern tip of Duval County. The area is home to a gated community of dozens of homes.
Some residents told News4Jax reporter Scott Johnson that they believe a tornado touched down in their neighborhood, adding that it looked like the area was hit by a bomb.
Piles of debris can be found roadside all over Duval County, but the ones in Eagle Bend could possibly be the largest. Mountains of reeds that came off the water were picked up, in large part, by an area church.
Eagle Bend Island resident Maxine Stucker said she evacuated for two prior hurricanes, but felt she would be safe during Irma.
“Oh my gosh, you don’t know what went off. It was so scary you couldn’t even breathe – that wind and rain,” Stucker said. “It was so scary, every minute you think a tree’s gonna fall on our house. I was praying that night, let me tell you.”
Stucker said she and most of her neighbors finally have the majority of their debris pushed to the curb. Unfortunately, while power was restored only days after the storm, it wasn’t until Thursday that many people in the neighborhood said they had cable or working phones.
“Can y’all believe the devastation and all this mess? It’s terrible, terrible, terrible,” Stucker said. “Three weeks later, we get our TV back and computer.”
Now, with her power back on and some calm weather, Stucker hopes island life returns to normal.