October 12th, 2016 — U.S. federal and state government officials are still assessing the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew, which struck the east coasts of four states with brutal force this past weekend, but initial reports indicate potentially significant damage to the area’s seafood industry.
On Friday, 7 October, Florida and Georgia were pounded by the hurricane, which reached category 4 status, meaning wind speeds reached beyond 130 miles per hour. The next day, Saturday, 8 October, the hurricane hit portions of North Carolina and South Carolina, causing widespread flooding and power outages.
At least 24 deaths in the U.S. are attributed to Hurricane Matthew, and more than one million homes and businesses were still without power on Tuesday, 11 October. In addition, many suppliers and distributors in some areas of North Carolina and South Carolina are not able to operate currently because of the heavy flooding and road closures – including portions of Interstate 95, the main shipping artery running along the East Coast.
Many piers were smashed along the Brevard County, Florida, coast and thousands of dead fish washed ashore on Collier County, Florida beaches, which officials blame on Hurricane Matthew and red tide, according to the Naples News.
A longstanding St. Augustine, Florida seafood restaurant, Matanzas Innlet Restaurant, was completely destroyed by the storm.