Florida hurricane irma damage News

Hurricane Irma’s ‘Last Gasp’: 3-Year Claims Deadline Put to the Test

It’s been 3 years since Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm, and the trail of damage left in its wake is still being felt across the state today, particularly by the insurance industry as it …

Florida Keys Request Additional $16M from FEMA for Irma Damage

County officials in the Florida Keys are looking to get federal money to reimburse them for expenses related to Hurricane Irma. Monroe County officials traveled to Washington D.C. last week to meet with FEMA officials. The county has submitted about …

National Hurricane Center Updates Hurricane Irma Death Toll

The death toll from Hurricane Irma’s catastrophic rampage across the Caribbean and the southeastern U.S. has risen to 44 fatalities directly caused by its strong winds and heavy rains, plus 85 fatalities indirectly linked to the storm, according to a …

Uncertainty Hangs Over Florida Citrus Growers After Irma’s Damage to Crops

Although the 2017-18 citrus harvest has barely begun, growers are already planning for the 2018-19 season, and they have critical decisions to make in the coming months that will affect next season’s crop and perhaps others in years to come. …

Florida’s Hurricane Irma Recovery: The Cost, The Challenges, The Lessons

The hurricane season is officially over, but it didn’t go by without leaving a major mark on Florida and its insurance industry. Hurricane Irma, a name most in the state won’t soon forget, first hit the Florida Keys as a …

Florida Hurricane Fund Irma Payouts Could Exceed $5B

Hurricane Irma’s damaging rampage through Florida may require the state fund that provides backing to private insurers to pay up to $5.1 billion in claims. Anne Bert, chief operating officer for the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, said Thursday the fund …

Irma Dealt Devastating Blow to Florida Citrus, Other Crops

Florida’s famous oranges are still falling from trees and rotting on the ground weeks after Hurricane Irma, and the state’s agriculture commissioner said Thursday there will be fewer Florida vegetables on Thanksgiving tables and a shortage of poinsettias at Christmas. …

Hurricane Irma Caused $2.5B in Damage to Florida Crops

State officials say Hurricane Irma caused more than $2.5 billion in damage to Florida’s agricultural community. Irma dealt Florida’s iconic orange crop the most devastating blow causing more than $760 million in damage. Beef cattle and dairy were next with …

Mobile Home Communities in Florida Keys Face Uncertainty After Irma

Architect Kobi Karp has a vision for affordable housing in the Florida Keys: residences set at coconut-tree height to keep them dry, atop concrete columns holding them in place. Key West clients sought out his designs before Hurricane Irma struck …

Florida Keys Expected to Reopen to Visitors Oct. 1

Florida Keys officials say the island chain hit hard by Hurricane Irma will reopen to tourists Oct. 1. Officials made their announcement Monday, more than two weeks after the Category 4 storm made landfall in the Florida Keys. The storm …