Millions of Floridians are beginning the arduous task of recovery following two major hurricanes in just two weeks. On Friday, residents faced widespread flooding, power outages, and significant storm damage caused by Hurricane Milton, which followed closely on the heels of Hurricane Helene.
While coastal cities like Tampa were spared from the catastrophic storm surge initially feared, Milton triggered deadly tornadoes on Florida’s east coast, killing at least 16 people and leaving millions without power. This came as many areas were still grappling with the aftermath of Helene, which struck the Gulf Coast just weeks prior.
In a 72-hour span, Florida’s Department of Transportation cleared over 2,200 truckloads of debris, equivalent to more than 40,000 cubic yards, primarily from barrier islands near Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, utility crews worked tirelessly to restore power to nearly 2.27 million homes and businesses that remained without electricity as of Friday morning. This was down from an initial 3.4 million affected by Milton’s landfall.
In response to the disaster, more than 6,500 National Guard members were mobilized across 23 counties to assist with recovery efforts. Crews have also been repairing damaged power lines, restoring cell service, and clearing floodwaters and debris from hard-hit neighborhoods.
Governor Ron DeSantis praised the swift response in clearing debris, while President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit the state on Sunday to survey the damage. Many Floridians face weeks or even months of rebuilding after these back-to-back hurricanes, as the state grapples with the widespread devastation.
