CEDAR KEY, Fla. — A town devastated by Hurricane Hermine two years ago is now preparing for a potential repeat with Hurricane Michael. But those living in Cedar Key insist Hermine brought lessons learned. Now people living and working in Cedar Key are worried it might happen again, this week.
When Hermine hit Cedar Key two years ago, Dock Street, a historic area, really took a beating. Hermine left the popular fishing town gutted as storm surge flooded out stores and homes. Rounds around the island were left under water.
“Overwhelmingly devastating. Just, it was horrific," described Leanna Bryan, a manager at Steamers Clam Bar & Grille.
After rebuilding from Hermine, this town is now thrust back into uncertainty with Michael. Some stores around the central district were already closed and shuttered. The coastal parts of Levy County, including Cedar Key, are under an evacuation order.
“Oh absolutely Hermine was a big lesson," said Bryan, "It taught all of us to be a little bit more ready.”
Tuesday will be a busy day of preparation for residents. Some of them, like the Island Room Restaurant at Cedar Cove, just reopened. The business had been under construction and recovering from Hermine's devastation.
“And now they are dealing with this again, it’s a worry," said Bryan. "It’s just something that in our hearts we know can happen. You live in Florida and you live on the water. You have to be ready for it.”
