Florida Senator Marco Rubio says Fort Myers Beach 'no longer EXISTS' after Hurricane Ian - and the 'classic' Sunshine State town 'will have to be rebuilt as something else' as death toll hits 81

2022-10-03 64

The stark declaration from the Florida official came as officials continue to assess the damage wrought by the hurricane, which made landfall last week in Southwest Florida before sweeping across the state. Fort Myers Beach, a coastal town that bore the brunt of the storm, was hit particularly hard by Ian, with homes leveled and ships swept on to land in feet of overflowed floodwater, leaving dozens of residents stranded awaiting for rescue - or worse. The scale of destruction has since left the city's beloved pair unrecognizable - and at least 81 confirmed dead, many from the the small Florida city. Speaking on ABC's This Week Sunday morning, Rubio, 51, detailed the extent of this destruction, saying there's no 'comparison' between the deadly hurricane and past storms. The former presidential candidate would also add that despite being in close talks with Governor Ron DeSantis and federal officials about recovery efforts, Fort Myers' Beach will likely never be the same again.