(NewsNation) — Florida residents are coming together to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, working to clean up the damaged caused by the storm.
Leonardo Nieves, a resident of Gulfport, Florida, is faced with the task of recovering his boat, which washed ashore during the hurricane.
“Thankfully, it was on the beach, not on any civilian structures. But yeah, it’s heartbreaking for sure. It’s basically my second home,” said Nieves, who lives on the boat half the year.
Local officials are placing orange stickers on boats that have washed ashore, warning residents they have 48 hours to recover them if they do not want them to be towed away.
In the small fishing community of Cedar Key, the damage was severe, with a storm surge of around seven feet — the highest ever recorded in the area.
Pat Bonish, a business owner there, explained how they’ve been working together to rebuild.
“I’ve been on the phone all morning saying what do you need? We’re bringing this, we’re bringing this, we’re bringing this,” he said. “It’s community helping community. That’s the best part about a small town.”
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