Sarasota Community Perseveres and Rebuilds a Year After Debby.

SARASOTA, Fla. (WFTS) — One year after Hurricane Debby made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend, residents in a Sarasota neighborhood are still striving to rebuild their lives and homes. The Category 1 hurricane struck near Steinhatchee on August 5, 2024, with winds reaching 80 mph. It lingered over the region, dropping nearly 20 inches of rain and causing significant flash flooding. Tragically, 18 lives were lost across the United States and Canada, with damages estimated at $4.5 billion.

In Sarasota County, the Laurel Meadows neighborhood was among the hardest hit. Over 80 homes were flooded as stormwater overwhelmed the drainage systems. Officials later revealed that an uninspected breach in a berm that separates Cowpen Slough and Phillippi Creek funneled excess water into the community, exacerbating the storm’s impact.

WATCH: One year ago Hurricane Debby made landfall; Sarasota community continues to rebuild

Laurel Meadows neighbors still rebuilding one year after Debby

“It was an unfair situation we were dealt,” reflected resident Jeff Schermerhorn. “It wasn’t a tidal surge or an overflowing creek; it was just slow, painful, and it didn’t go away for five days.”

Alongside Schermerhorn, neighbor Allison Cavallaro and many others continue to repair damages incurred during the storm. Most residents were not located in designated FEMA flood zones and thus lacked flood insurance at the time of the hurricane. “We dipped into IRAs, put liens on homes, or paid out of pocket,” Cavallaro noted. “One year, one month to the day, everything we worked hard for just washed away.”

Sarasota County officials have since repaired the berm and conducted reviews of stormwater infrastructure. Public Works Director Spencer Anderson mentioned that the area experienced rainfall exceeding the capacity of local systems, stating, “We saw rainfall totals well beyond a 100-year storm.”

Despite improvements, the emotional and financial burdens from the storm linger for residents. “You don’t want to relive it,” Cavallaro said. “But you have to deal with it because it’s still your reality.”

This hurricane season, families in Laurel Meadows are advocating for all homeowners to consider flood insurance, emphasizing its importance regardless of location. “Get better insurance than just your minimal,” Cavallaro advised. “It’s worth the money; it’s probably like a Starbucks coffee a day.”