Hurricane Ian Forces Black Family To Leave Their Historic Island: Report

The Gavin family's successors, however, have already left Sanibel due to Hurricane Ian, that devastated the little island and the last week.

One of the first two black families to settle on Sanibel, an exquisite island that extends out into the Atlantic like a fishing hook off the west coast of Florida, was the Gavin family, who came over a century ago. They have persevered despite adverse weather, prejudice, and rising living expenses, said a report from BBC.

The Gavin family's successors, however, have already left Sanibel due to Hurricane Ian, which devastated the little island last week with such force that it submerged entire neighbourhoods and lost electricity to almost two million people. It's uncertain whether or when they will ever be allowed to come back, the outlet further said.

Oscar and Myra Jean Gavin, who are both in their 70s gathered as much of their belongings as they could fit in their car before the hurricane. The elderly couple drove across the poorly constructed walkway that connects Sanibel to the mainland in order to spend the duration of the storm in a friend's Fort Myers condominium.

Since then, they have had no way out because Ian destroyed the causeway, cutting off the island from the mainland for the near future. Because of this reason, the significant connection between the Gavin family and the history and culture of the island could also have been damaged, reported BBC.