Images show why St. Pete Beach cleanup could take ‘days or even weeks’

(WFLA) – St. Pete Beach officials are asking residents to keep the streets clear Friday so they can speed up the massive cleanup effort in the wake of Hurricane Milton.

Crews were working to clear “downed trees, power lines, signs, and other obstacles” from city streets and fully reopen roads. Photos from the city show just how big of a project that will be.

“Please avoid blocking roads. We ask for your patience as this process will take days or even weeks,” city officials wrote on Facebook.

St. Pete Beach was just one of several communities attempting to dig out from debris Friday.

As homeowners assessed damage to their property, about 2.4 million customers in Florida remained without power Friday morning, according to poweroutage.us . Many trying to get back in their homes also found it challenging to locate available gas.  Fuel stations were still closed as far away as Ocala, more than a two and a half hour drive north of where the storm made landfall.

At the same time, tourists who had come for a vacation found that Florida theme parks including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld had reopened Friday.

• Deputies in Pinellas County offering rides out of flooded neighborhood in high-water vehicles
• Scrap metal recycling building catches fire: Clearwater Fire and Rescue
• Pinellas County residents affected by Hurricane Milton
• Images show why St. Pete Beach cleanup could take ‘days or even weeks’
• Satellite images show before and after Hurricane Milton along Gulf coast

Orlando International Airport, the state’s busiest, said departures for domestic flights and international flights would resume Friday, after resuming domestic arrivals Thursday evening. The airport had minor damage, including a few leaks and downed trees. Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers also reopened Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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