Hurricane Michael: Devastation over Panama City, Florida
Drone footage captures some of the devastation left behind by Hurricane Michael. The category 4 storm damaged property and killed at least 18 people.
As search and rescue efforts intensify on Sunday in the beachside communities that Hurricane Michael turned into a debris-filled wasteland, authorities believe it’s a matter of time until the death toll will rise.
So far, the death toll stands at 19 people after Michael roared ashore Wednesday in Mexico Beach as a Category 4 hurricane with 155 mph winds and destructive storm surge.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Saturday that the damage caused by the storm is "indescribable and unprecedented," and that about 1,700 search-and-rescue personnel have checked 25,000 homes.
"Everybody just needs to help each other right now," Scott said after meeting with emergency responders in the Panama City area.
Lavonia Fortner helps her father-in-law, John E. Fortner, search for memorabilia his wife collected, in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
"You feel sorry for people," the governor added. "They might have lost their house. They worry about their kids getting into school. You know, people don't sit and have a whole bunch of extra money in the bank just waiting for a disaster."
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., conducted a tour Sunday of Tyndall Air Force Base, which suffered catastrophic damage when Michael gave it a direct hit, ripping roofs off airplane hangers, tossings vehicles and destroying buildings. Nelson said the main runway is open, but everything now is "kind of rudimentary."
"This base is utterly destroyed," he said after the tour.
Every building on the base suffered severe damage, with many considered a complete loss. There is also no running water or electricity at the facility.
"This base will be back in operation, but it is going to take some time," Nelson said.
While the Air Force evacuated roughly 50 advanced F-22 stealth fighter jets ahead of Hurricane Michael making landfall, not all the jets were able to fly and some were left behind, officials told Fox News on Friday. It’s not immediately clear how many were left behind.
It’s also not clear if any of these fifth generation fighter jets --valued at approximately $143 million apiece -- were damaged, but it’s likely most were to some degree considering “all” the hangers suffered damage in the storm, officials told Fox News.
Air Force base severely damaged by Hurricane Michael
Search and rescue efforts underway after Florida Panhandle hit by Hurricane Michael; Jonathan Serrie reports.
In a statement, the Air Force said it’s too early to know how many suffered damage.
“A number of aircraft were left behind in hangars due to maintenance or safety reasons, and all of those hangars are damaged," an Air Force spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. "We anticipate the aircraft parked inside may be damaged as well, but we won't know the extent until our crews can safely enter those hangars and make an assessment. We will pass additional information to you as we refine and confirm our assessment."
HUNDREDS FOUND BY RESCUERS AFTER HURRICANE MICHAEL
Patients have been evacuated from eight hospitals in the disaster zone as of Friday, The Tallahassee Democrat reported. The Capital Regional Medical Center, located in Tallahassee, was at full capacity on Saturday after receiving patients from Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center in Panama City.
People walk amidst rubble in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
In Mexico Beach, which bore the brunt of Michael's strongest winds and highest storm surge, one body was found Saturday in the rubble. Searchers were trying to determine if the person had been alone or was part of a family, according to the Associated Press. As of Sunday, at least 200,000 customers in Florida are still in the dark across 11 counties.
Before Michael hit, state officials said that 285 defied the mandatory evacuation order in Mexico Beach and stayed behind.
HURRICANE MICHAEL LEFT TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE 'DEVASTATED'
Dramatic before and after images of Hurricane Michael damage
NOAA's website lets you zoom in and see what the damage looks from the category 4 hurricane that devastated communities on the Florida Panhandle; visit storms.ngs.noaa.gov
Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long said he expected the death toll to rise, and will survey storm damage on Sunday with Scott.
About 4,000 members of Florida's national guard have been called up to deal with the storm, including 500 added on Saturday. Nearly 2,000 law-enforcement officials have been sent into the Panhandle.
Cellphone service also has been out across the state, making it difficult for people to contact friends or family members. Verizon said on Saturday that 10 portable cell sites have been deployed to help restore service.
Residents look down their street which is blocked off by debris from Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
President Trump announced plans to visit Florida and hard-hit Georgia early next week, but didn't say what day he would arrive. On Saturday he approved federal disaster aid relief for four Alabama counties affected by the storm.
"We are working very hard on every area and every state that was hit - we are with you!" he tweeted Friday.
Fox News Kathleen Reuschle, Lucas Tomlinson, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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