WILBUR-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. — Early estimates by the Volusia County Property Appraiser show the county has taken a blow of at least $481 million in damage after Hurricane Nicole.

Twenty-five homes in Wilbur-By-The-Sea have been forced to evacuate after they were deemed structurally unsafe. Dozens more condos and hotels likewise lay empty.

The beautiful coast of Wilbur-By-The-Sea is dotted with reminders of devastation. Pieces of broken sea wall, debris, and even bathroom fixtures collect in collapsed hills leading to sandy shores. Some homes are now missing their back walls, exposing family kitchens to the waves and beach goers below.

Views like this are just a snapshot of what's happened in Volusia County.

“I’ve lived in this area for 30 years, and even with the four hurricanes in ‘04, we didn’t have that much beach erosion," said Matthew Clayton, a Wilbur-By-The-Sea resident.

Just above a beach ramp, Clayton worked to get the power restored at a neighbor's house. His own home withstood Hurricane Nicole, facing little damage. Now, he's trying to keep the lights on for his neighbors.

"Quite a few of these people lost their whole— basically their lives. Everything they ever did in their life might have been in that house," said Clayton.

Just a few doors down, dreaded orange signs hang on homes. One word sits at the top, plastered in bold type face: "UNSAFE."

This Scarlet Letter, courtesy of Hurricane Nicole, dangles on Nina Lavigna's home. But behind the front door, her friends and family work to clear out belongings. With the back of her house washed away, almost everything is exposed.

"We're all in this together. If we don't help each other, it's just not going to work," said Lavigna.

She hopes this story will motivate people to step in to help. Volusia County needs you, and they can't do it alone she says.

"It’s not about where you live, or politics, or anything like that. Because sooner or later, we’re all stripped naked, and this is all we have. We only have each other."