Hurricane Ian recovery is slow, but progressing in Seminole County

Roads remain flooded and the pickup of debris across the county is ongoing.

Nearly a month after Hurricane Ian cut through Florida, Seminole County is still picking up the pieces.

About 85 trucks are currently removing debris left behind by the storm, 40% of which has been removed. Loose debris was in no shortage after Ian, although the county’s chief emergency manager, Alan Harris, said the debris wasn’t as prevalent as 2017’s Hurricane Irma. Seminole’s bigger problem lies in the lingering waters left behind by Ian’s historic level of flooding.

Seminole still has 41 roads closed due to inundated St. Johns River, primarily in Geneva but some roads remain affected in Sanford.

“Water is receding very slowly. Damage to these homes is becoming more apparent along these roadways as individuals can get back now into their homes and see what has occurred,” Harris said during a press conference at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, which reopened to the public Wednesday.

Roads to the zoo have been cleared, but flood waters remain on the sides of the road near the zoo’s entrance. Harris likened the image to a scene out of “Jurassic Park,” complete with alligators in place of dinosaurs.

The need for help around Seminole is apparent

On Monday, the first day Seminole applicants could apply for the USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — or D-SNAP— the program received over 4,000 applicants looking for food assistance.