At Florida Southern College, trees were uprooted—some blocked sidewalks. Branches fell from trees causing various damages to campus, and a glass door was shattered in Honeyman Pavilion. All were caused by the winds of Hurricane Ian that battered Southwest and Central Florida.
Lakeland city officials are assessing the damage as of Thursday morning. As reported by The Ledger, the city will keep a detailed inventory of debris to send to government officials to apply for assistance programs for businesses and residents who sustained losses.
On the morning of Sept. 29, an estimated 63,000 in Lakeland were without power.
Hurricane Ian made landfall near Fort Myers as a category 4. The storm barreled across the Florida peninsula through the night, gradually losing power and never coming within 60 miles of Lakeland. Despite this, it maintained wind speeds in Lakeland of over-70 mph.
According to an email sent by the school, Florida Southern College sustained only “minor damages.”