Sarasota, Florida, is reeling from the aftermath of a powerful hurricane, with winds gusting up to 99 miles per hour, causing widespread destruction and flooding. Storm hunter and meteorologist Matthew Cappucci, who experienced the brunt of the storm firsthand, described the intense conditions to 5 Live reporters.
“A cement bench flew off the roof of a neighbouring hotel and crashed down next to me,” Cappucci recalled, highlighting the sheer force of the wind. “Traffic lights were flying in the wind and pieces of people’s roofs were flying past me,” he added, calling it one of the most severe hurricanes he has ever witnessed.
Most of Sarasota is now submerged under several feet of water, with some areas reporting floods as deep as several metres, according to Cappucci. He has been staying at a local hotel during the storm but expressed uncertainty about when he would be able to return home. “Because of all the trees that are down, there are wires down, signs down,” he explained, noting that road access may be blocked for some time.
Cappucci anticipates that cleaning up the damage caused by the hurricane will take a considerable amount of time, given the extent of the destruction throughout the city.
