St. George Island resident regrets not evacuating for Hurricane Michael

Amid destruction, authorities ask Apalachicola area residents to delay return

APALACHICOLA, Fla. – Stephen Sherlock decided not to evacuate his home in the Apalachicola area's St. George Island.

On Thursday, he and his girlfriend regretted their decision. He said the damage "is pretty widespread from one side of the island to the other.

"It was real scary. I was pretty much nervous the whole time through, but I just tried to stay as calm as possible"

St. George Island resident Brian Klein said there was a dire need for water, fuel and power. He warned about the dangers of debris, sand and water on the roads. 

County Commission Chairman Smokey Parrish told the Apalachicola Times it will take two weeks to a month before residents get electricity. He also added there were no sewers and plenty of obstacles on the road.

Authorities were asking residents to delay their return. Gov. Rick Scott visited the Panama City area where there was damage everywhere. The town of Mexican Beach was obliterated. 

"This morning, Florida’s Gulf Coast and Panhandle and the Big Bend are waking up to unimaginable destruction," Gov. Rick Scott said. "So many lives have been changed forever. So many families have lost everything. ... This hurricane was an absolute monster."


About the Authors:

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.