- May 18, 2024
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Hurricane Matthew flooded unincorporated areas in northern Flagler County. (Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
As Palm Coast residents dragged downed trees and damaged fences out of their yards after Hurricane Matthew, local government agencies and volunteers scrambled to help clean up debris.
Within the limits of the city of Palm Coast, there was no major storm damage — at least, according to FEMA standards — and damage to private property totaled about $3,585,412. But countywide, the damage was much more serious, totaling an estimated $72,820,117 in damage to private property, with residential damage accounting for $66,124,679 of the total.
A total of 11 homes in Flagler County were destroyed, according to a Flagler County government news release, and 164 had “major damage” according to FEMA standards, meaning that repairs would not be possible within 30 days. Another 294 had “minor damage” expected to be repairable within 30 days, and total of 1,276 properties were affected.
In Palm Coast, “We realized immediately that we were very fortunate, that it was not as devastating as everybody was predicting,” Palm Coast City Manager Jim Landon said at an Oct. 11 City Council workshop. “Zero structures had major damage according to FEMA standards. … very little damage, relatively speaking, from a hurricane standpoint.”
There were 195 Palm Coast single family homes affected by the storm, and seven multifamily structures affected. “Affected,” in FEMA parlance, could mean something like a tree falling against a house but not penetrating it, according to the county news release.
Palm Coast has fielded damage assessment teams to create reports on damage to private and public property. Those reports will be turned over to FEMA.
Most of the damage Hurricane Matthew caused to private property occurred in unincorporated areas and in Flagler Beach. In unincorporated Flagler County, the storm caused $49,659,830 in estimated total damages, and $48,033,938 in estimated residential damages. Six homes in the unincorporated areas were destroyed. In Flagler Beach, estimated total damages were $15,178,829, of which $13,166,109 was to residential properties. Five Flagler Beach homes were destroyed.
The storm also caused an estimated $4,001,517 in damage in Beverly Beach, an estimated $135,515 in damage in Marineland and an estimated $259,014 in damage in Bunnell.
