FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    David Saniter, Lee County Emergency Management
                (941) 477-3600

FORT MYERS, Fla. (September 21, 2001) – Tropical Storm Gabrielle, which blew through Florida’s west coast last Friday (Sep. 14), wreaked more than $5.7 million of damage on Lee County residences and businesses, according to figures tabulated by Lee County’s Emergency Management Division. Local fire districts helped assess damages in their areas in putting together the damage report.

Six Hundred and Nine (609) structures (single-family homes, mobile homes, multi-family units and businesses) were damaged. Of the damage, 527 structures sustained minor damage (up to 20 percent) and 82 received major damage (between 20-and-50 percent). None were destroyed (greater than 50 percent damage). Total losses were $5,730,972, of which $2.2 million was reported on Estero Island and $1.1 million occurred in the Bonita Springs/Bonita Beach area (see detailed list below).

In addition, TODAY the county renewed its "State of Local Emergency" due to the storm for another seven (7) days. This will allow the county to continue patching private roads where emergency access is being impeded due to continuing sheet flow.

The damage estimates will be forwarded to the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Lee County’s Natural Resources Management Division reports that most beaches will recover from any disturbance by the storm, except in those areas where the sand already was severely eroded prior to the storm. Generally, the beaches did what they were supposed to do. During the storm, the sand got washed away into an offshore sandbar that helped break some of the incoming waves. Now, it should slowly work its way back to the beach.

Dollar estimates of damages are:

Town of Fort Myers Beach $2,223,000

San Carlos Island 525,000

Pine Island 105,000

City of Sanibel 510,000

South Trail Area 40,000

Iona-McGregor Area 280,000

Tice Area 311,411

City of Cape Coral 157,450

San Carlos Park 144,000

City of Bonita Springs 1,135,000

City of Fort Myers 67,650

North Fort Myers 232,461

To date, the county has spread rock on the following roads to maintain access for emergency vehicles (date, roads, and number of loads listed below).

Gottarde (NFM) 12 loads

Leetana (NFM) 14 loads

Fichter's Creek (ALVA) 1 load

Matt Rd. (NFM) 6 loads

Homestead Ln. (Tice) 46 loads

Harbor Dr. (PI) 2 loads

Baughman Rd. (NFM) 2 loads

Lynn Rd. (NFM) 5 loads

Huber Rd. (NFM) 2 loads

Marmaduke Ln. (NFM) 2 loads

Lanshell Dr. (NFM) 1 load

Glenn Ave. (Tice) 10 loads

Henderson Grade (NFM) 19 loads

Dosante (NFM) 19 loads

Welburn (NFM) 21 loads

Rich Rd (NFM) 4 loads

Jamie Rd. (NFM) 9 loads

Jamie, Bradley and Lani (all in NFM)