Page 11 - Marathon Key News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Of the florida keys to return to their homes this weekend. more than a week after that hurricane cane. the northern keys through marathon key was open this morning. the lower keys were scheduled to open tomorrow. let's go live now to cnn's mart martin savidge in key west, florida. martin, it's going to take folks a long time if they're just now getting the message in any part of south florida to make their way to marathon or even to key west. but what's the feeling as to how quickly people will start trying to make that traverse there? >> i bet you there are people lined up now already. becaus...

Destruction to all the homes in the keys seeps vsly overblown. a a colleague of mine made the drive. said maybe it's 30%, 40%. power lines seemed to have survived. the big ones, while the local ones are down. i got a chance to look at the photos. dub. everybody loves dub who stood post because he is the caretaker of the sea point condominium in marathon key and he would never leave. as soon atsz the storm blue over, he flew old glory. this is the scene on the breakers sea wall in key west. just dozens and dozens of wrecked ships. old glory still flying. this scene sex the ship recs. people out...

Code. he thinks he can get it rebuilt to a better code and survive these strong hurricanes. a lot of frustration on the part of keys residents as they're coming back into their homes or trying to. we've seen steady streams of cars, utility vehicles all trying to get past check points. t at certain points south of us near marathon key and other keys they're not letting residents pass the check points because it's too dangerous to go in there. if they go in there and something happens to them they're not going to be able to call out. there are no cell phone, no land line, no water, no power, so ...

Since this morning. fema put out this figure, 90% of the structures have some form of damage: i talked to an official from key west who said that was too high an estimate. what do you think? >> well, you know, i don't know about 90%. it's so interesting because the structures that are along the atlantic ocean which took the brunt of the force are those on the inside that took the dirty edge, are fortified. some of the steepest damage is inside these keys where the houses aren't as structurally strong. i'll show you some video of marathon key. i saw this building that had -- looked like laundry...

South of here beyond marathon key and toward key west. a lot of residents frustrated trying to get back to their home. sheriffs are setting up check points, not letting them back in these neighborhoods where there could be downed power lines and hazards there's no cellphone, no land line, no power, if anything happens to them they are not going to be able to call first responders. officials are afraid of missing people. they are setting up check points and not letting residents back and a lot of residents are complaining but officials are telling them try to be patient we know what you're goin...