Flagler County suffered an estimated $18.8 million in private property damages countywide from Hurricane Milton, and an additional $14 million in damages to just under 11 miles of beachfront, with additional estimates yet to be calculated such as costs to government infrastructure and services, and losses to the federal portion of the beach in Flagler Beach–the 2.6 miles the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers just renourished.
All those costs together will raise the total monetary damages significantly. But as far as losses to private residences are concerned, Flagler County Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord described them as “more than Ian, less than Nicole.” Hurricane Ian struck in September 2022, Hurricane Nicole in November 2022, by which time the county’s dunes had been severely weakened. Dune breaches during Nicole ran up losses due to homes getting flooded.
“This storm did not have dune breaches so we did not have the high impacts of the ocean making it through the dune breaches,” Lord said. With the newly renourished beaches from North 6th Street to the water tower in Flagler Beach, State Road A1A survived Hurricane Milton intact–though it is due for major reconstruction that was scheduled ahead of the renourishment.
Flagler County government had separately rebuilt dunes on 11.4 miles of beaches north of Flagler Beach. Those dunes also did their part, protecting infrastructure, including roads, and houses. Naturally (the word applies literally, as in by the force of nature) the dunes were substantially sacrificed to the storm, as were their predecessor dunes after Hurricanes Matthew and Irma in 2016 and 2017: because of sea rise and intensifying storms, the days are over when the county and its beaches could rely on a natural cycle of dune rebuilding. It must now be done with substantial tax dollars: the segment from south MalaCompra Park to south Washington Oaks Gardens State Park alone cost $3.67 million for 8,350 linear feet of sand, though 75 percent of that was paid through federal funds and the state picked up the remaining 25 percent.
“It’s wonderful when we succeed in protecting the county’s improved property – that’s the goal – even if it feels a little frustrating for everyone to feel like these areas have gone back to square one,” said Coastal Engineering Administrator Ansley Wren-Key in a release issued today. “We are estimating how much sand was lost to the dune system from Hurricane Milton, as that is what FEMA will rebuild as Category B Emergency Berm in the areas determined to be eligible.”
Lord said the $14 million estimate for lost sand is “very unofficial,” and could change.
The Flagler County Engineering Department will work with FEMA to calculate the volume of sand lost and create a report that, in part, will be used to determine areas of eligibility – a process that could take a couple of months. Once reviewed, FEMA will determine how much sand it will provide for the project.
“We will get this work done as quickly as possible. It will be at the county’s discretion where to place the sand,” Wren-Key said. “We can put more sand in areas that are more vulnerable to wash over in the future.”
As for losses to private property, the costs break down as follows:
- Unincorporated Flagler County: $1.56 million
- Beverly Beach: $1.43 million
- Bunnell: $195,830
- Flagler Beach: $10.95 million
- Marineland: no data
- Palm Coast: $4.69 million
The county estimates that Milton generated 145,300 cubic yards of debris from houses and businesses and 43,400 cubic yards of tree and other vegetative debris.
In all, 308 houses were affected countywide, including in Flagler Beach, but with less than 20 percent of structural damage, another 70 had minor damage affecting 20 to 40 percent of the structure, 17 houses had major damage, and 27 are inaccessible.
Local officials are encouraging all affected property owners to apply for disaster assistance through FEMA if they are under-insured or have no insurance. The first step is to register for FEMA assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. Early information indicates this registration period is likely to close around December 10. That date is subject to change, so it’s best not to wait.
Registrants will receive notification letters through the United States Postal Service or electronic mail explaining the next steps. Inspectors will contact residents to who have stated they cannot live in their primary residences because of Hurricane Milton damage to schedule an inspection. Financial assistance in the form of funds may be provided to an applicant, or housing may be provided by FEMA.
“Most housing assistance will be money to reimburse lodging expenses, provide help with rent, provide help with home repair, or – in a worst-case scenario – help with home replacement,” Lord said.
In Palm Coast proper, from Oct. 5 to 11, the city’s western areas receiving 13.53 inches, the northwest seeing 12.5 inches, and the southwest receiving a staggering 16.06 inches, according to city officials. These intense rains pushed the city’s wastewater system to its limits, reaching a peak of 17 million gallons daily—far exceeding its 6.8 million gallons daily capacity. The city’s crews distributed 80,000 sand bags between Oct. 6 and 9. The Customer Service team handled nearly 4,000 calls and cases. The City’s Communications team issued 17 news releases, participated in 10 radio interviews, and interacted with over 14,500 residents on social media.
On Saturday, the City’s Utility Department deployed 10 tank trucks to the Woodlands area to remove water from impassable roads. Additional vacuum trucks were also used to clear debris, with efforts continuing to restore safe conditions for all neighborhoods.
Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston praised the dedication of city staff, saying, “Our team has been working around the clock to ensure our city bounces back as quickly as possible. I couldn’t be prouder of the extraordinary efforts our staff have made to keep Palm Coast safe.”
The City will begin storm debris removal on October 16, 2024. Residents are encouraged to place storm debris in the right of way, separating vegetative and construction debris. Bagged debris will be picked up by the regular hauler, FCC, and should be separate from storm debris.
