Florida Residents Rebuild After Two Fall Hurricanes
When Hurricane Milton hit Florida this October, many parts of the state were still suffering the effects of Hurricane Helene, which caused significant damage at the end of September.
Some residents were able to stay in the area during Helene but by the time Milton came, they were on the road, taking with them what they could.
In southern Tampa, three neighboring families left together: seven adults, six children, four dogs and three pet rats.
Traveling in convoy, they drove more than 725 kilometers north to Atlanta.
Advice from officials had been simple before Milton came — get out. Some left behind homes where the floodwater was already up to their ankles, even before the new storm.
Neighbors said they'd been looking out for one another, and they'd be working together as they return home to try to rebuild.
President Joe Biden visited the area on October 13 to survey the devastation, although he said he was thankful that the damage was not as bad as was first anticipated.
However, at least 23 people have died as a result of the latest hurricane.
Recovery efforts are now underway but it will take time.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that debris removal could take up to a year, even after the state moved nearly 3,000 workers to the cleanup.
Residents unable to move back into their damaged homes were making other arrangements.
Kat Robinson-Malone and her family bought a caravan that's parked outside the house. They plan to live there while their home is repaired and also improved to make it more resilient against hurricanes.
"These storms, they're just going to keep happening," she said. "And we want to be prepared for it."
Some of their neighbors will need to demolish their homes. Others wonder if they'll have to leave the area. But Brooke Carstenen said she wants to stay in Tampa.
"Why do we live here in a place that's trying to destroy us?" she said. "Well, it's all the people that we have here."
