MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Manatee County officials said there's nearly $15 million in damage already documented and tens of thousands of customers without power in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said county workers have spent the last 24 hours clearing roads and working to get resources where they needed to be. However, he said with so much damage, it could be several days before power was completely restored.
Florida Power and Light said as of Friday, more than 85,000 customers were without power in Manatee County. Peace River Utility said it had more than 50,000 customers without power in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
The county asked residents to avoid unnecessary flushing of toilets, long showers, or laundry as the county's infrastructure was hit hard by the storm.
So far, Manatee County officials said they had documented $10.5 million in residential damage and $4.4 million in commercial damages due to the storm.
When it comes to getting around in the county, Manatee County officials said with power still problematic and rivers not yet crested in the county, there will still be a lot of road closures. The county hopes to have those roads closed for just 2-3 more days.
While beaches in Manatee County remain closed, officials did report some good news when it comes to fuel. According to the county, fuel distribution (both gas and diesel) began Thursday and the county said they have plenty of both fuels for now.
