A damaged boat on the Apalachicola River after Hurricane Michael. Photo courtesy of Apalachicola Riverkeeper.
Three months after the deadly Hurricane Michael slammed ashore along the Florida Panhandle, many communities are still a long way from being fully recovered. Scenes in towns like Mexico Beach, Panama City, and Marianna are still full of devastation.
“That area took the brunt of the storm -- they have a long way to go,” said Grant Gelhardt, chair of the Sierra Club Florida’s Big Bend Group in Tallahassee. Gelhardt said that local Florida Sierra Club members gathered donations of food and water for distribution in the hardest-hit areas in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Michael’s landfall.
Additionally, the Sierra Club sent out a call for donations to its members nationwide. All money raised was donated directly to frontline groups involved in the recovery. Apalachicola Riverkeeper received one of those grants.
“Apalachicola and Eastpoint were hit hard by storm surge and many waterfront businesses suffered water and wind damage,” said Georgia Ackerman, riverkeeper and executive director of Apalachicola Riverkeeper. “Every county in the Apalachicola River basin suffered damage. Tree loss throughout the basin was significant, and the ecological impacts are still being assessed.”
Ackerman’s group was able to monitor the Apalachicola River via boating trips and flyovers post-Michael, searching for signs of any contamination from local coal ash ponds or other environmental risks.
Many of their members and staff suffered severe damage to their own homes and businesses. The City of Mexico Beach was devastated. While tourism is returning to Apalachicola, Ackerman said, the recovery is moving slowly.
“Sometimes community members can feel forgotten when the news cycle moves on and there seems to be lack of awareness of the challenges still facing individuals,” she explained. “As you can imagine, this takes a toll on people who have suffered much. It’s akin to post-traumatic stress.”
Gelhardt said many poor communities in and around Panama City and Mexico Beach saw catastrophic damage. That damage includes a tremendous number of trees on timber industry land around the Mexico Beach region. “That economy will take decades to recover -- it takes a long time to grow trees -- which is what their economy was based on,” he said.
A map of the tree canopy disturbance from Hurricane Michael. Source.
Both Gelhardt and Ackerman encouraged continued monetary donations to the area’s recovery, and to call local government agencies to find out what’s needed before donating any supplies or showing up to help. For example, the website for the City of Mexico Beach has an appeal for help right on its front page:
"Yes, the City of Mexico Beach needs your support: The City of Mexico Beach and surrounding areas have been devastated by Hurricane Michael. Corporations and individuals have approached the City of Mexico Beach to make contributions. However, there was no venue for accepting donations, so the City reached out to the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association (MBARA,) and they have changed their bylaws to support the recovery. MBARA is a respected all-volunteer not-for-profit organization. 100% of donations received by MBARA specifically for the City of Mexico Beach will go to the City in the form of grants. Please visit the MBARA website to make your donation."
Please consider donating to Apalachicola Riverkeeper as well!