Hurricane Matthew could have been much, much worse. But the storm did leave a trail of damage up the U.S. coast from Florida to Virginia. And two months after the storm raked the southern U.S. Atlantic coast, local residents and officials still face a long list of repair jobs.
The storm had a major impact on beaches and dunes, as the Charlotte Observer reported here (see: “Aerial photos show how Hurricane Matthew chewed up Carolinas beaches,” by Bruce Henderson). “Hurricane Matthew’s march past the Southeast coast in October wiped out protective dunes in four states, newly released aerial photos from the U.S. Geological Survey show,” the paper reported. “Matthew overwashed 177 miles of dunes, including 58 percent of those in South Carolina, say USGS experts who analyzed before-and-after photos. Even so, the impact was less extensive than expected.”
“[Matthew’s] storm surge on the Southeast coast peaked at nearly 10 feet above predicted tides, the USGS said. The storm surge and waves overwashed 9 percent – or 30 miles – of North Carolina’s dunes, 30 percent of Georgia’s dunes and 11 percent of the dunes along Florida’s Atlantic coast,” the Observer reported.
The beach damage left some neighborhoods exposed to damage from winter storms — for example, in Sea Pines, South Carolina, according to a report in the Island Packet (see: “Dozens of Sea Pines beach homes still at risk after Hurricane Matthew,” by Teresa Moss). “Homes in the South Beach section of Sea Pines remain at high risk for future storm damage after Hurricane Matthew plowed through dunes and washed away sand, a Hilton Head Island town official said Tuesday. And no one knows when the houses — estimated to be dozens — will be safe again,” the paper reported. “The homes will remain at risk for damage from any strong storm until a beach renourishment project can be completed on the 8,000-foot stretch of coast, said Scott Liggett, the town’s director of public projects and facilities and chief engineer… A renourishment project on the portion of South Beach is needed to replace an estimated 100,000 cubic yards of sand lost from the storm, Liggett said. He said the replenishment of sand will further protect homes. Yet, the town is waiting on word about whether a contractor completing an island-wide beach renourishment project will stay to fix storm damage on South Beach, or move on to its next project.”
Damage to homes along the coast was also extensive, according to press reports. In Saint Augustine, Florida, residents are trying to navigate the complicated bureaucratic environment, the St. Augustine Record reported (see: “Long road to recovery for Hurricane Matthew victims with substantially damaged homes,” by Jake Martin). “Posts to a public group page on Facebook called Saint Augustine Hurricane Recovery hint at the frustration,” the paper reported. “Just untangling the purposes, responsibilities and requirements of all the local, state and federal agencies involved in the process has become a full-time commitment for some. Those with homes deemed ‘substantially damaged’ are faced with wallet-burning questions of whether to demolish and rebuild or elevate their homes, or whether to hire outside help and appeal or just give up.”
Virginia Beach, Virginia, has waived local permit fees for homeowners impacted by the storm, Southside Daily reported (see: “Virginia Beach waives permit fees, extends deadline for Hurricane Matthew disaster repairs,” by Amy Poulter). “Homeowners are just now receiving funds from their insurance companies and FEMA, so they needed more time to apply for permits and hire contractors to help with home repairs,” said Barry Frankenfield, director of planning and community development.
And washed-out roads continue to disrupt travel and commuting across the hardest-hit areas. “According to NCDOT spokesperson Peggy Beach, the total number of roads impacted by the storm in [North Carolina] are still in triple digits,” reported the Dunn, N.C., Daily Record (see: “Hurricane Matthew Still Impacting Drivers,” by Rick Curl). “Sampson is the hardest hit with 24 roads still awaiting repairs while Johnston County has 14 and Harnett County has 15 storm closures.”
In South Carolina, repairs are going to take a while, reported the Sun News (see: “Some roads closed by Hurricane Matthew not expected to open for another year,” by Todd Garvin). “Five sections of roadways [in Horry County] are still closed because of the October storm, with one not expected to reopen until fall of next year,” the paper reported.
