‘No one expected this’: Residents in Siesta Key shocked by Helene’s devastation

SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — The damage from Helene took some Sarasota residents by surprise.

One family who decided to ride out the storm and wound up scrambling to save what they could.

“First I want to give the glory to God; it could have been worse,” resident Sandy Palmer said.

This family said they thought the storm, wouldn’t be severe, but the floodwaters tell a different story.

“Every old local thought it was going to be not going to be bad, but nothing like this,” her son Mark Palmer said.

They lived on the island for 60 years and told us Helene was by far the worst hurricane they have ever experienced.

“Siesta Key gets flooded, but no one expects this,” Palmer said.

Siesta Key isn’t the only island hit hard. The impact on Lido key is still making roads impassable and access to Longboat Key impossible.

While the worst of the storm has passed, the families are now left picking up the pieces and hoping for relief.

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