SWFL tornado victims to join others awaiting repairs

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CAPE CORAL, Fla. – More than six weeks after an EF2 tornado hit, Cape Coral residents are warning recent tornado victims about frustrations to come.

Wednesday’s two tornadoes damaged 36 homes, according to authorities. Those 36 households will soon encounter similar challenges as the families in 178 southwest Cape Coral homes damaged in January.

Elizabeth Oliveira is one of the hundreds whose home was hit by the Cape Coral tornado. Her neighborhood off Beach Parkway is spotted with homes covered in blue tarp, broken fences and pool cages.

“We need a new roof on our house, obviously. We need a new garage door,” she said.

The needed repairs are extensive but Oliveira said roofers will get to her house in mid-March — almost two months after the tornado. She said she understands.

“Am I frustrated? I think, right now a little bit frustrated, yes,” she said. “It’s going slow but I realize there’s a lot of people who have more damage than us and they really have to be taken care of first.”

Less than a week after the Cape Coral tornado, another twister touched down in South Fort Myers, tearing through the South Pointe West Condo complex off McGregor Boulevard. On Thursday, the pool was closed and plywood boards still covered the damaged railings.

One resident said she does not know of a scheduled date for repairs.

“I have not heard a thing about when the pool will be open, when the workers will come and finish cleaning up or finish fixing up the things that need to be fixed,” Linda Highfill of South Fort Myers said.

The situation of these residents may indicate long waits for repairs to come for recently damaged homes.

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