Nearly every building on the barrier island in Southwest Florida was damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Ian's 15-foot storm surge. It's left the town with almost a clean slate for redevelopment.
This year's hurricane season got off to a very slow start. But it only takes one big storm to wreak havoc. And climate change makes such storms more likely.
Scientists and forecasters are trying to figure out how to talk about the connection between climate change and severe weather. It could have big impacts on how people think about global warming.
The causeway linking the island to the Florida mainland reopened with temporary repairs just three weeks after it was washed out by the hurricane. The reopening will help recovery work on the island.
Hurricanes — whether big or small — manage to damage or destroy most things in their path. But palm trees tend to escape a hurricane's fury. That was definitely true after Ian.
Agriculture is a major industry in Florida and Hurricane Ian destroyed farms, killed livestock and toppled citrus trees. Farmers have faced challenges before and vow to come out stronger.
Mobile homes built before 1994 can't withstand the kind of ferocious winds of a major hurricane. In Florida, there are thousands of these older homes that crumble during big storms like Ian
Most deaths were in Lee County, where local officials delayed hurricane evacuations until the day before the storm hit. Leaders in other nearby counties ordered evacuations a day earlier.
Across Southwest Florida, the long road to recovery is coming into focus as people try to pick up the pieces after Hurricane Ian. Many will rebuild, others will leave and some don't know what's next.
The town of North Port, Fla., was hit hard by Hurricane Ian, and then days of river flooding. As the waters start to recede, residents are starting to dry out and take stock of the damage.
Hundreds of thousands of people in southwest Florida still don't have electricity or water. But Babcock Ranch, north of Fort Myers, was designed and built to withstand the most powerful storms.
A shelter run by the Humane Society Naples is flying cats and dogs out of state to make room for a wave of new arrivals from families whose homes were destroyed and are now unable to care for a pet.
In historically African American Dunbar, some think that they are being ignored by authorities who are more concerned about helping affluent seaside communities.
