SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – Hurricane Milton hit SRQ harder than any other airport in Florida, according to SRQ President and CEO Rick Piccolo.

The roof membrane began to rise as the wind gusted toward the eyewall at 93 miles per hour. The roof calmed down as winds dropped to zero at 9 p.m. Wednesday. Then, at 9:36 p.m., the storm struck the rear eyewall with wind gusts of 102 miles per hour. The airport management team was in the viewing lounge overlooking the roof and the empty runway. They watched as the wind tore the roof off.

Next, cast iron pipes were laid to carry away the rain, filling them with debris and flooding the second floor and the roof tiles there. The flooding rains soaked the tiled floors and carpets. The damaged roof tiles must be replaced before passengers can be allowed into the terminals.

Flying debris from the roof now lies on the empty runway. Everything needs to be cleaned so that dirt doesn’t get sucked into the engines. And the remaining portions of the roof membrane will need to be removed and replaced with a temporary roof while the cast iron roof drains are repaired to prevent further flooding of the second floor.

That’s why you can’t fly until Wednesday.

The temporary roof will cost nearly $400,000. Hopefully it will be completed so flights can resume on Wednesday. The permanent roof renovation can then begin. Rick Piccolo estimates this will cost an additional $3,000,000.

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