Florida Storm Surge Swamps Nuclear Plant, Pro Golfer’s Home, Many more

Hurricane Helene’s storm along the western edges of Florida is being called the most devastating since 1921, responsible for destroying or severely damaging hundreds of homes and businesses in the area.

One of those homes belonged to professional golfer John Daly, whose Clearwater Beach home northwest of Tampa was deemed a total loss, according to Sports Illustrated and other news outlets.

Daly posted on social media Friday that seawater flooded his property.

“To all who have contacted, my family is safe but not all of our homes as water is pouring out of every crack,” Daly wrote. “Total loss and devastation after living here all my life! I still can’t imagine EVERYTHING we lost, but we are safe and everything can be replaced! Thank God!”

It was not reported if Daly had flood insurance on the home.

The 58-year-old golfer is a two-time major winner on the PGA Tour. He is known for his big swing and big personality. Last week, he urged others to be safe during the storm.

Also hit by flooding was a shutdown Duke Energy Corp. nuclear plant near Crystal River, about 40 miles north of Clearwater and not far from the demolished town of Cedar Key.

Bloomberg News reported that the facility, closed since 2013, experienced a storm surge of up to 12 feet, but the radioactive material was not released, as it reported in a filing with the US Environmental Protection Agency.

“The whole site was flooded, including buildings, pools and lift stations. Industrial wastewater pond no. 5 was observed spilling onto the ground due to the surge,” according to the report, which was filed on Friday, Bloomberg noted.

“We are still in the process of gaining access and assessing the damage, but due to the nature of this event we anticipate difficulties in estimating the total amount of sewage discharge and the impacts are unknown at this time,” the report said.

Spent nuclear fuel at the site remains safe, Duke Energy said in a statement Sunday. “All radioactive material has been segmented and permanently packaged in protected containers impervious to the effects of extreme weather,” the company said.

Top photo: The crippled Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant in Crystal River, Florida, in 2013. Duke Energy shut down the plant after botched repairs and planned to use $835 million from an insurance settlement to reimburse consumers who had to pay for replacement energy with higher costs. (AP Photo/The Tampa Bay Times, Maurice Rivenbark)

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Florida wind storm