Bradenton, FL In the past few weeks, Florida as a whole was rocked by the devastating natural disaster that was Hurricane Milton. Just two weeks after Hurricane Helene which caused potentially irreparable damage to the island specifically, we felt the shock and panic that came along with another hurricane.
Hurricane Helene was reported to have killed at least 228 people by USA Today. Spanning across multiple states, Helene was an extremely destructive storm that affected several people, not just Floridians. Those who were displaced or injured are still feeling the aftershocks of this catastrophic storm, so imagine the heartbreak and trepidation people felt when not two weeks later, another hurricane was predicted to form.
Hurricane Milton was a nightmare for Floridians. The, admittedly, already in bad shape, Anna Maria Island was decimated. Tampa Bay and Sarasota were in bad shape as well, and counties including Hillsborough, Pinellas, and our very own, Manatee reported “around 75% or more of their individual energy customers didn’t have electricity.” Says CBS News.
In regards to the island, one could picture just how detrimental this destruction is for Florida’s economy. Florida is a large tourist destination, specifically because of our beaches. If the beaches are wrecked, our state will lose the money we would normally make off of snowbirds in the winter and family vacations in the summer. Only time will tell how local and state governments plan to rectify this issue.
Post-storm, grocery stores such as Publix, Walmart, and other chain grocers, faced issues with fully stocking their shelves with non-perishables as people had stocked up in preparation for the worst. Plenty of stores and restaurants were worried about the outcome of the storm; would there be flooding? Would their roof collapse? Uncertainty seemed to fill the air.
In addition to this, gas stations were frequently running out of gas as people composed evacuation plans for their friends, family, and loved ones. Depending on where you were in Florida, you could potentially go five-ten miles between gas stations and still be out of luck for gas.
Gas itself was a heated topic of conversation for a few days; people needed it, and no one could figure out who needed it most. Lines for gas stations even three days after Hurricane Milton would stretch on and on. Unfortunately, because of this, some would cut in line, cut people off, or just be impatient in general. One could assume that this would lead to excessive amounts of traffic, horn-honking, and fighting.
Speaking of fighting, Fox 13 reports on a fight that broke out in Tampa Bay over gas. Police officers at the scene said that they felt as though they couldn’t leave; that it was more of a “babysitting job” that they were okay with doing so long as it maintained order.
Hurricane Milton caused major destruction for Florida as a whole. It has disrupted the lives of hundreds if not thousands of people and caused stress to even more. If you or your family are struggling with money at the moment, please feel free to stop by Ms. Tracey’s room for access to canned goods and/or toiletries should you need them. Don’t forget to reach out if you or someone else is in danger because of this cataclysmic hurricane, and remember that you’re not alone, and things will get better.
