Damage in the billions.
St. Johns County is looking at major storm damage in excess of $2 billion dollars, according to St Johns County Administrator Michael Wanchick.
“Those numbers may change,” Wanchick says. “I’m just throwing those out, and I do that reluctantly, but I want people to understand, much like the Sheriff said, this is a major storm with major damage.”
Wanchick says there is flooding, coastal erosion, and damage to public infrastructure with the coastline of North Vilano Beach, downtown St. Augustine in and around Summer Haven hit the hardest.
There were some ocean-front structures lost North of Vilano Beach.
“We’ve had several structures undermined very seriously. It’s my understanding a few of them have been displaced,” Wanchick says.
Residents are allowed back to Ponte Vedra and Cosa. However, Davis Shores and Anastasia Island remain closed.
St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar says multiple feet of water flooded homes in Davis Shores and the Barrier Island.
“The fact we’re letting residents back into the community is a public service to some extent,” Shoar says. “If we had our way we would probably wait a little longer, but we understand urgency.”
A few sections of A1A has washed over, but the road is still intact, according to officials.
City manager John Regan says 90 percent of the roads are passable. The Shands Bridge will remain closed for the foreseeable future due to severe damage.
Officials are in the process of assessing neighborhood and making sure people are safe.
Right now, officials do not have an estimate on when electricity or sewer service will be restored. Water is deemed safe to drink, if you are city customer. However, the island will be on boil water notice.
Despite the damage sustained, Shoar says St. Augustine is very resilient.
“There’s a reason why we are the nation’s oldest city. We’re going to come back from this and many ways we’ve been very blessed and fortunate.”
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