OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The utter turmoil and destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Milton makes it even more difficult to believe the storm’s dissipation to a Category 1 hurricane mere hours after crossing over the state of Florida.
The build-up to the beast was historic; the storm formed quickly over the weekend in the Gulf of Mexico and picked up strength and speed fast with help from the hot waters below. The storm reached Category 5 status, at one point clocking sustained winds of 180 MPH, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As it approached the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday night, Milton hit the west coast of Florida as a weakened, yet sturdy Category 3 hurricane, bringing storm surges and flooding the likes that hadn’t been seen in the area in over a century.
The terrifying reality of Milton came once it made landfall as the storm expanded its width across the entire state of Florida, wreaking havoc on the North Central Florida area and beyond.
Marion County saw its fair share of destruction, with the storm leaving tens of thousands without power and motivating trees to topple over onto busy roadways.
352today photographer Alan Youngblood captured one such instance where a large tree blocked Southwest 19th Ave. Rd., just outside Shady Road Ranches
If Mother Nature’s independent variable was Milton, the dependent variable is her undying certainty of bringing people together following the devastation. City officials including Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward alluded to it beforehand: the first line of defense in storm restoration is the community.
The neighbors in the area took to work with these words in their hearts and sweat on their faces, blasting the fallen tree into chunks with the help of a chainsaw. The tree was then transported off-road with the help of mobile man-made machinery.
Canopy Tree and Land Service workers then got in on the act themselves. They were tasked with removing a tree blocking the entrance to a home. Thus, the chainsaws were unsheathed from the trunks of the worker’s utility vehicles before being tested against the rotund tree.
The shot of a group of trees striking powerlines and removing a power pole from its hinges remains an unconventional sign that work is still to be done. The photograph of a directional sign to Legacy Church is a subtle reminder that blessings propel all forward.
The nearby photograph of a fallen street sign is a temporary wound to a perpetual memory that won’t be forgotten. Milton may have knocked us down but like the sign, the community will shine through and rise again.
