The Only Road In and Out of This Florida Island Community Has Been Destroyed by Hurricane Ian

Sections of a causeway connecting an island of nearly 7,000 residents to mainland Florida were destroyed by Hurricane Ian, effectively cutting off access to and from the Sanibel community.

The mayor of Sanibel says "numerous individuals" made the decision to stay on the island and ride out the storm—although the total number of people is still unknown.

Images of the bridge began to circulate on social media in the aftermath of the storm, showing sections that were completely swept away by Hurricane Ian. Large chunks of the bridge were missing after at least five major breaches were said to have collapsed into the Gulf of Mexico.

This meant that anyone left on the island was stranded, and anyone looking to return home after evacuating has no way to get back.

Speaking of the island, images of Sanibel were no better than the destroyed sections of the causeway.

A before and after photo that was shared on social media is absolutely heartbreaking to look at as more of Hurricane Ian's devastation continues to come into focus

Overhead video shows even more devastation as authorities continue to assess damages and get more information on the status updates of those who did stay on the island to ride out Hurricane Ian.

See more photos and videos of the damage and destruction left in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian here as we continue to send our thoughts and resources to those affected by this treacherous storm.