Tampa Bay is in recovery mode after Hurricane Helene

Days after Hurricane Helene pummeled Tampa Bay's coastal communities with record-breaking storm surge, the region is in recovery mode.

The big picture: It's safe to say Helene was the worst storm our region has experienced in a century, the Tampa Bay Times reported .

• That's based on historical storm data, government accounts of the damage and more.
• And remember: Helene wasn't a direct strike. It was about 100 miles offshore when it passed by Tampa Bay.

The latest: The death toll in Pinellas rose to nine people, ranging in age from 37 to 89, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

• Most drowned. All lived in mandatory evacuation zones, per the Times . Among them was a Pinellas County Schools employee, WTSP reported .
• With another two deaths reported in Hillsborough County, that brings the Tampa Bay fatality total to 11.

Pinellas barrier islands will be accessible only to residents, business owners and employees until 4pm Tuesday while officials continue to assess damage and clear roads of sand and debris.

• Licensed contractors and tow-truck drivers will also be allowed on the beaches.
• As of Sunday evening, barrier islands were still without power, and many roads remain impassible, county officials said.
• Crews continued working Sunday to restore water access to St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island and Tierra Verde.

Elsewhere in the region, local governments are beginning debris cleanup.

• Check with your city or county for details.

Damage by the numbers: As of Sunday evening, 237 homes in Pinellas had been logged as destroyed, according to the county's residential damage assessment dashboard .

• Another nearly 12,000 were identified as sustaining major damage.
• Hillsborough officials recorded about 1,200 damaged homes, the Times reported .