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LIVE BLOG: Updates on Hurricane Milton
WUSF is part of the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network, which provides up-to-the minute weather and news reports during severe weather events on radio, online and on social media for 13 Florida Public Media stations. It’s available on WUSF 89.7 FM, online at WUSF.org and through the free Florida Storms app, which provides geotargeted live forecasts, information about evacuation routes and shelters, and live local radio streams.

Helene wrecked tens of thousands of homes in the Tampa Bay region. Here are the numbers so far

Aerial photo of a waterfront view. Buildings are next to the water, but there is sand all over the street and parking lots with only a handful of vehicles visible.
Pinellas County Communications
/
Courtesy
During Hurricane Helene, tons of sand washed up on Pinellas beach properties, roads and businesses.

The hurricane brought levels of storm surge that communities haven't seen in years. Crews are continuing to assess damage in neighborhoods that got hit with flooding.

Counties are tallying up the damage wrought by Hurricane Helene, which pushed catastrophic levels of storm surge onto coastal communities in the Tampa Bay Region.

In the storm's wake, some residents watched their homes fill with several feet of water. Beloved landmarks like the pier at Safety Harbor Waterfront Park were wiped out.

Preliminary counts show tens of thousands of properties destroyed or damaged. The cost to repair the Tampa Bay region will likely total over hundreds of millions — if not billions — of dollars.

Here are the numbers so far by county:

Hillsborough County

Destroyed: 151
Major Damage: 1,709
Minor Damage: 2,630
Affected: 1,823

Hillsborough County estimates $1.8 billion in residential damage from Hurricane Helene.

A county official said the numbers come from a preliminary assessment taken in order to seek disaster declaration from FEMA. The numbers only reflect that initial canvassing and represent a portion of the impacted community.

pile of soaking wet furniture on curb in front of house
Mike Carlson
/
AP
Residents clean contents of their home after flooding from Hurricane Helene on Davis Islands Saturday in Tampa.

Pinellas County

Total Properties Assessed: 27,735
Destroyed: 267
Major: 16,516
Minor: 6,392
Affected 4,560

Find updated numbers at Pinellas County's residential damage assessment dashboard.

two men walking in calf-high water on a flooded street
Mike Carlson
/
AP
Thomas Chaves, left, and Vinny Almeida walk through floodwaters from Hurricane Helene in an attempt to reach Chaves's mother's house in the Shore Acres neighborhood Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in St. Petersburg.

Pasco County

9,430 reported incidents. This number is expected to change as teams continue doing assessments.

Due to the storm surge from Hurricane Helene, about 200 people were rescued from rising water in Pasco County on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, into early Friday in a joint partnership with Pasco County Fire Rescue, the Florida National Guard and other law enforcement partners.
Pasco County Sheriff's Office
Due to the storm surge from Hurricane Helene, about 200 people were rescued from rising water in Pasco County on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, into early Friday in a joint partnership with Pasco County Fire Rescue, the Florida National Guard and other law enforcement partners.

Hernando County

Destroyed: 3
Major Damage: 529
Minor Damage: 18
Affected: 8
Total:

Numbers are updated on Pasco's damage assessment dashboard.

storm surge waters cover road with palm trees and marina building in the background
Courtesy
/
Hernando County Sheriff's Office
Storm surge from Hurricane Helene covers Shoal Line Boulevard in Hernando County.

Sarasota County

Residential damage in unincorporated Sarasota County
Destroyed: 6
Major: 471
Minor: 565
Affected: 799
Total: 1,841

Total residential damage: $165,530,830

Damage at Casey Key in Sarasota following Hurricane Helene on Sept. 24, 2024
Sarasota County Government
/
Courtesy
Damage at Casey Key in Sarasota following Hurricane Helene on Sept. 24, 2024

Manatee County

Residential Damage
Destroyed: 542
Major: 553
Minor: 1635
Affected 314

Total in dollars: $353,951,318

Commercial Damage
Destroyed: 52
Major: 5
Minor: 173

Total in dollars: $4,635,400

Manatee's numbers do not include coastal communities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach.

building knocked over on a beach in Manatee County
Courtesy
/
Manatee County
Hurricane Helene toppled over a wooden structure on a Manatee County beach.

As WUSF's general assignment reporter, I cover a variety of topics across the greater Tampa Bay region.
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