FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Southwest Florida’s famed vacation spots — Naples, Captiva and Sanibel Islands, Fort Myers Beach, Pine Island Sound — have long been escapes from Florida’s more bustling east coast.
Those areas also bore the brunt of Hurricane Ian’s brutal wrath on Sept. 28, enduring winds up to 150 mph and storm surges, in some areas, up to 15 feet. Statewide, at least 148 people died from the storm, mostly in coastal areas.
The aftermath in Fort Myers Beach looked like a war zone, while other areas were more fortunate, and are well on their way to recovery, if not already open for business.
