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Fort Myers man found himself trapped after home flooded in Hurricane Ian

Storm surge of 12-16 feet was forecast for parts of southwest Florida as the powerful Hurricane hit
Fort Myers flooding
Posted at 10:46 PM, Sep 28, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-28 23:46:12-04

A Fort Myers man filmed the catastrophic storm surge that trapped him inside his home as Hurricane Ian hit southwest Florida coastal towns.

His entire neighborhood, near the Caloosahatchee River in North Fort Myers, was flooded.

Thomas Podgorny said that while he believed himself to be safe, he worried about his neighbors who live in single-story homes

Hurricane Ian brought massive storm surges of 12-16 feet and major flooding.

Podgorny said he saw several vehicles floating away, and his family contacted emergency services to help their neighbors when the storm passed.

Still, he feared they might not be able to reach them soon enough and believes some did not evacuate.

Water levels in the Fort Myers area were reportedly high hours after Ian's landfall, with strong winds persisting as the hurricane's eye moved past the area.