Cedar Key faces long recovery after 8-foot storm surge causes devastation

Helene damage prevents many from returning home

Cedar Key is struggling to recover after an 8-foot storm surge submerged much of the coastal town, leaving widespread devastation. One resident kept an eye on her home through a surveillance camera during the storm.

CEDAR KEY, Fla. - Cedar Key is struggling to recover after an 8-foot storm surge submerged much of the coastal town, leaving widespread devastation.

Located west of Ocala on the Gulf of Mexico, the small community remains unsafe for residents to return.

State Road 24 leading into Cedar Key is lined with downed trees and standing water. The Levy County Sheriff’s Office is still in rescue and recovery mode, closely monitoring traffic onto the island as they assess the damage caused by Helene’s nearly 100 mph winds and 12-foot storm surge.

Carol Carlin, a Cedar Key resident, kept an eye on her home through a surveillance camera during the storm.

"I knew it was just going to get worse and worse," Carlin said. "The water didn’t stop rising until about 1:30."

The Carlins have yet to return home, but based on reports from neighbors, they expect their house to be severely damaged.

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"Eight to nine feet of water came through our first level," Carlin said. "The walls are gone. The garage doors are gone."

The family evacuated to Orlando before the storm, heeding warnings from local and state officials to leave while they could.

Cedar Key Fire Rescue posted images showing significant damage across the island. Iconic local businesses, including the Faraway Inn, the Beachfront Motel, and the post office, have all been heavily damaged, if not destroyed.

Helene is the third major storm to hit Cedar Key in just over a year, compounding the community’s troubles. To make matters worse, a massive fire destroyed two major businesses in Cedar Key just a week before the storm. The Carlins lost everything in that fire.

"It’s hard to look to the future when it’s like this, but we’re keeping our heads up," Carlin said.

There is no clear timeline for when residents like the Carlins will be allowed to return to assess their homes and businesses.

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