Articles Posted in Hurricane & Storm Damage

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TAMPA, FLTampa residents are stepping up to aid city crews with the hurricane debris clean-up process, as several showed up for a clean-up event hosted by the city this past Saturday. 

WFLA said that volunteers spent their time cleaning out homes, removing debris from yards, cutting drywall, and doing other tasks to aid with the recovery process. 

Tampa crews have been working around the clock, specifically seven days a week, to try and restore the city back to its original state as part of an initiative from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), which states that cities in Florida must pursue clean up efforts for the first first “90 days or until debris mission is complete.” So help from volunteers, like locals Dmytro Baumann and Lauren Middleton, who have been volunteering for a couple of weekends, have truly streamlined the clean-up procedure. 

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ST. PETERSBURG, FLDozens of residents are waiting to sell, or have already sold their homes, despite damage brought on by the flood caused by Hurricane Milton. 

A report from 10 Tampa Bay indicates that people who are waiting to sell their homes are anticipating an estimate for how much repairs will cost, and are waiting on claims to process and for crews to clear the debris. 

A recent account from Pinellas County’s Resident Damage Assessment for the city of St. Petersburg shows that 65 homes have been destroyed, 770 have received significant damage, 2,412 homes have sustained minor damage, and 1,658 homes have been impacted by Milton. 

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SARASOTA, FL – County officials launched a new campaign called ‘Support the 941,’ in order to help local businesses get back on their feet after hurricanes Helene and Milton. 

The process is simple. According to Fox 13 News, all a person has to do is take a picture of the establishment and then use the hashtag “Support the 941,” which will help spread the word about businesses that have reopened since the devastating storms. 

Other ways in which locals can help is by signing up for the “Neighborhood Navigator Pass,” which will let them know of any deals or coupons each business is offering. 

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PINELLAS COUNTY, FL – According to WFLA, 40,910 homes were either damaged or destroyed by hurricanes Helene and Milton. 

Pinellas County authorities said 28,350 homes were damaged. To date, 16,803 homes have been significantly damaged, while 268 were completely totaled by Helene. 

The number of homes that were completely destroyed by Milton doubles to 446, with damages numbered at 12,560. Recent data from the Pinellas County Damage Assessment report shows that 1,971 of those residential properties saw some significant wreckage. 

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TAMPA, FLGlobal Empowerment Mission (GEM) is one organization stepping up to help local Tampa residents recover after hurricanes Helene and Milton. 

On Friday, more than 60 semi-trucks went around providing food, water, pet kits in Hillsborough, Sarasota, Taylor, and Levy counties, where residents are still facing power outages and displacement, according to an X post from Global Empowerment Mission and a report from WHSV. 

The organization works to provide a wide range of materials that include drywall, doors, and mattresses. 

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SARASOTA AND MANATEE COUNTY, FLSarasota and Manatee County officials estimate that Hurricane Helene and Milton caused around $884 million in structural damages. 

Sarasota County authorities told the Herald-Turbine they speculate that the aftermath of Helene led to $337.7 million in damages, with Milton racking up $306 million in damages, tallying up a total of nearly $634 million. Manatee County officials said they believe that damages from Milton resulted in over $250 million but did not specify if that included Helene as well. The only cities within Manatee County that don’t currently have damage report numbers are Bradenton, Palmetto, and the three cities on Anna Maria Island: Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach, and Holmes Beach. 

Both counties, however, are not off the hook yet. All counties in the state of Florida, which include Manatee and Sarasota counties, are expected to see “between $17 billion and $28 billion” in wind and flood losses from Milton, and uninsured property losses are anticipated to only increase “between $21 billion and $34 billion,” according to data from CoreLogic. 

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ST. PETE BEACH, FL – A mounting pile of hurricane debris caught on fire at a debris loading site in the area of Egan Park Tuesday night, WFLA reports. 

It is unclear what exactly caused the fire, but a nearby resident, identified as Joan Welden, looked out the window and dialed 911 as fast as she could. Fire crews rushed to the scene and immediately extinguished the flames. 

While no individuals were harmed in this incident, the growing pile of leftover debris from Hurricane and Milton does pose environmental concerns since pollutants are permitting, and thus also causing risk to residents’ homes and bodies, especially since many of the occupants are older and struggle with respiratory and cardiac disease. 

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TAMPA, FL – There are no days off for Tampa city crews who have to work seven days a week to get the city cleaned up after Hurricane Milton within a three-month span. 

According to Fox 13 News, personnel have to clean up an estimated million cubic yards, or the size of “10,000 football fields full of debris,” as Tampa Mayor Jane Castor says. 

The 90-day time limit was first prescribed by Governor Ron DeSantis, who then ordered the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) to create an emergency order. The emergency order states that Florida cities are to pursue hurricane cleanup efforts for the first “90 days or until debris mission is complete.” 

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In Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, the debris from two hurricanes is piling up, leaving clean up crews racing to get everything picked up in a timely manner.

Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and all the Tampa Bay area are aiming for all storm debris to be cleared within 90 days of Oct. 11, which is the time limit set forth by FEMA for cities to get full reimbursement.

The city of Tampa has already processed 292 tons of debris so far, according to reports. The city and contracted haulers are working around the clock to get the debris removed.

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SARASOTA, FLThe Tri-Par Estates Mobile Home Park residents are among the many who are working to restore their lives to normalcy after the powerful Hurricane Milton. 

Images from Fox 13 News show torn-off roofs and numerous twisted panels and windows scattered about following the storm surge, which was said to have been between 8 to 10 feet, according to additional data from The Tallahassee Democrat. 

While it’s unclear how many homes in the entire county have been destroyed by Milton, the Tallahassee Democrat declares that 100 homes in Sarasota alone have been hit really hard. 

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