Florida Counties Experience Recovery and Normalcy Following Hurricane Milton's Impact

Florida is gradually recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Milton. By Monday, power had been restored to most areas, and gas stations were reopening. Students are also preparing to return to school. However, some neighbourhoods remain without electricity, with homes and businesses severely damaged and streets still flooded with debris.

As of Monday afternoon, nearly 90% of the 3.4 million homes and businesses that lost power have had it restored. Hurricane Milton made landfall late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm south of Tampa, bringing winds of 120 mph (205 kph) and a storm surge up to 10 feet (3 metres). The hurricane claimed at least 11 lives, following closely after Hurricane Helene's destruction.

Power Restoration Efforts

The three major power companies in the region anticipate restoring electricity to over 95% of affected customers by Tuesday night. Thousands of workers have been deployed to repair lines and infrastructure swiftly. "I know those guys got in and started working as soon as it was possible," said Gov. Ron DeSantis at a news conference on Monday.

Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy, and TECO Energy have credited their efforts over the past decade for improvements. These include placing more power lines underground and installing stronger utility poles. They also adopted technology that reroutes electricity around damaged equipment.

Flooded areas will be the last to regain power, as homes with damaged electrical systems cannot receive electricity yet. "Electricity and water don't mix," said Duke spokesperson Ana Gibbs, explaining that re-energising is only possible once water recedes.

Community Recovery

Gerome Ozias was surprised when power returned to his Palmetto home on Sunday night after four days without it. He had prepared for a longer wait. Sitting on his porch with family on Monday, he expressed relief at having power for his refrigerator again.

Gasoline supplies have improved significantly since the storm. About 12 million gallons (45 million litres) of fuel were delivered over four days, double the usual amount. This helped replenish stations that ran out before Milton's arrival.

In Palmetto, David Washington cleaned his Ford F-150 at a car wash after driving through muddy areas to check on relatives post-storms. "You clean your car and get inside; it just makes you feel so much better," said Washington.

School Reopenings

Most school districts in the hardest-hit areas plan to reopen by Wednesday, while Manatee County aims for Tuesday. Hillsborough County schools held cleanup events on Monday with staff and volunteers clearing debris. "It was an amazing show of community," said district spokesperson Tanya Arja.

About one-third of Hillsborough's 304 schools remain without power, and a dozen still have standing water. DeSantis warned that debris removal from both hurricanes could take up to a year despite nearly 3,000 workers being shifted to cleanup efforts.

Insurance and Damage Estimates

The federal government has approved full reimbursement for cleanup efforts for 90 days. Moody's estimates privately insured losses from both storms range between USD 35 billion and USD 55 billion, excluding federal flood insurance program costs.

Unlike Ozias' area, Chuck Porter's neighbourhood in Ellenton remained powerless on Monday afternoon. A snapped power pole lay across a yard nearby, while an uprooted tree pinned down lines at the entrance.

Despite these challenges, Porter wasn't complaining as he stayed with his daughter nearby. His power company expects service restoration by Wednesday night. "By the end of the week, we'll be fine," Porter said.

Long-term Recovery

The Porters continued cleaning their home on Monday after flooding from Helene two weeks ago left muck behind. Milton's winds knocked out power lines but caused minimal wind damage to Porter's house.

The Key West-style bar he built in his backyard survived intact despite extensive water damage inside his home. He is replacing appliances like air-conditioners and refrigerators due to saltwater damage.

"Saltwater just destroys everything," Porter noted about light sockets needing replacement if wet. Many neighbours faced worse conditions; homes closer to the river flooded with sewage.

"It's going to be like this for six months or more" before all repairs are complete," Porter said about insurance covering costs but being time-consuming.