SARASOTA, Fla. — Damage caused by Hurricane Ian appears to be limited in Sarasota after numerous people have reported downed trees and utility lines in the middle of roads.
The recovery phase to assist people in more than 200 locations with some level of damage is underway, the city of Sarasota said in a news release.
Tactical First in Teams in Sarasota reportedly began cutting downed trees and clearing other road hazards on Thursday morning. They also went to assist people who reported that their homes suffered minor structural damage.
"By all accounts, we were fortunate," the city said in a news release. "A heartfelt thank you to our many employees representing every department who left their families during the storm to report to the Emergency Operations Center and coordinate our storm response and recovery."
One thing that was not a concern for city officials was the water and wastewater systems as they were held up well without any issues at the lift stations.
However, multiple water lines broke due to toppling trees. Utility crews have since then worked to locate and repair them, the city said.
City officials are working with contractors to create a debris collection schedule. Until then, people can put yard waste in containers or bags as part of the city's regular waste collection. Unbagged storm debris needs to be placed curbside for contractors to pick up in the future, the city said.
PHOTOS: Flooding in south Sarasota County
Sarasota administrative offices will remain closed until Friday, Sept. 30. The city said they plan to reopen for regular business on Monday, Oct. 3., and a normal city commission meeting is still scheduled for 9 a.m. at Sarasota City Hall.