The stories coming out of the most hurricane-devastated areas of Florida’s Southwest coast are heart-rending: Residents leaving on foot from Fort Myers Beach, rolling small suitcases of whatever they could salvage. Pleas for food, water, propane and toilet paper posted on social media. Pine Island, Naples, Matlacha — all hit hard. Sanibel cut off by a severed causeway.
Deaths, mostly from drowning in the storm surge, are continuing to climb. Already, the finger-pointing has started. Whose fault is it that so many people remained in harm’s way when a monster of a storm like Ian hit?
Even residents who lost their homes haven’t been spared criticism for riding out the storm instead of leaving. Defying evacuation orders is irresponsible and burdens first responders. But judgment should be withheld until we learn more about why people stayed put and whether they had enough time and resources to leave.
