Residents wary, watching in Vilano Beach as Irma progresses

Erosion concerns weigh on neighbors along coastline eaten up by Matthew

VILANO BEACH, Fla. – Residents along Vilano Beach are nervously watching Hurricane Irma.

Many of the homes along the coastline sustained damage to their foundations when Hurricane Matthew ripped up the shore last year.

Exposed foundations and several unlivable homes can still be seen along the Vilano Beach coast.

“There’s a couple of these houses that haven’t been touched since Matthew,” Vilano Beach resident Bill Morton said. “This one, the garage is still blown out.”

Morton said he is fortunate the damage to his home wasn’t bad -- just piles of sand that took weeks to dig out.

About 11 months later, he’s wondering whether another storm will show up to ruin all his and his neighbors' hard work.

“The bulkhead's installed, which I guess would help, and they pumped a lot of sand up here about two months ago from the inlet,  and it really helped,” Morton said.

John McQuade just moved into the Seaside of Vilano a month ago.

“Hopefully, it doesn’t turn here like last time,” McQuade said. “They said they had about 3-4 inches of rain inside garages.”

McQuade said he hasn’t lived this close to the ocean before, and he and his neighbors hope the summer will end quietly -- not like last year.

Some people along the beach already have exit strategies and are booking hotel rooms, preparing to have a place to stay if they have to evacuate.


About the Author:

Scott is a multi-Emmy Award Winning Anchor and Reporter, who also hosts the “Going Ringside With The Local Station” Podcast. Scott has been a journalist for 25 years, covering stories including six presidential elections, multiple space shuttle launches and dozens of high-profile murder trials.