The small town of Steinhatchee in Florida's Gulf Coast region has been virtually wiped off the map from the tropical storm as "there's nothing left."

When Hurricane Helene battered Florida’s Gulf Coast this week, one of the hardest-hit areas was the small town of Steinhatchee, which was overwhelmed by a 10-foot storm surge and 140 mph winds. Most of the town’s 500 residents evacuated the area — and returned to find their homes and businesses destroyed.

And for a long time, hurricanes have been a fact of life ‒ and usually mild enough to ride out in town. Locals threw hurricane parties, cracking open beers and howling defiance at the wind.