Naples continues to recover from Hurricane Helene as crews work to clear debris and sand from streets and beach accesses across Collier County.
Storm surge from the hurricane left sand drifts as high as three feet in some areas. NBC 2 saw front-end loaders clearing sand from the Vanderbilt Beach turnaround and the 17th Avenue South beach access today.
The city of Naples provided the following update :
Impassable Roads Due to Sand, Debris, and Water:
- Several beach accesses are covered with sand.
- Lowdermilk Park is closed until further notice.
- Gordon Drive is currently passable. Crews are actively pushing and loading sand from the south end of Gordon Drive, and traffic south of 33rd Avenue South should be limited to local vehicles during this sand-hauling operation.
- There are still pockets of sand and water at the intersections of 15th Avenue South and 17th Avenue South on Gulf Shore Boulevard South. While crews are working to remove the sand, this process will take several days to complete and will continue through the weekend.
Naples police Lt. Bryan McGinn emphasized the dangers of navigating flooded roads.
"You don't know what's in that water. It could be bacteria, debris, or even energized wires. We haven’t had any recent reports of those issues, but Florida Power & Light acted quickly to address power concerns," McGinn said.
He added that the city is partnering with other entities to clear debris and make sure drains are working properly.
"There are still areas affected by water and sand. It’s probably a lot of clogged drains from debris. So if you see roadways still underwater, take warning and don’t drive through," McGinn said.
Officials are urging non-local traffic to avoid the beach areas during cleanup efforts and to exercise caution while traveling in the city. Crews will continue working through the weekend, with a full impact report to be presented to the city council on Oct. 2.