TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Milton evacuees were bracing for the worst Thursday morning as many across Hillsborough County returned home to assess the damage.
West Hillsborough Avenue was cut off early Thursday as floodwaters consumed the roadway after powerful wind gusts and nearly 24 hours of rain from Hurricane Milton saturated the area.
“We had to evacuate. It’s mandatory. Now we’re trying to check our homes --maybe in a few hours we can,” Carlo Rivera told Local 10 early Thursday morning as he was trying to make his way back home.
In Temple Terrace, just across from the University of South Florida, parking lots were flooded and at least one vehicle appeared to be stalled out.
“A lot of people left town because they thought it was going to be a (Cat) 5, and then it turned into a 3, and then honestly it moved closer to Bradenton, so we didn’t get the worst of it. So I’m just lucky we’re able to be here and just walk around with our lives,” USF student River Ferris said.
In Westchase, residents were wading through waters to see how their homes fared during the storm.
“It’s in my air conditioner in the back – it’s probably 6 inches in the garage. Yeah, the whole property here is covered,” one man said.
Luckily though, the mobile homes in the community were still standing.
Kyle West, of Plan A Barbers, said he’s ready to get his store back up and running.
“I’m just waiting for power to get back, man,” he said. “Hopefully it gets back soon. I know behind the shop is all under water.”
West, like many other business owners and residents, was thankful to see fleets of lineman dispatched.
It’s unclear, however, when power will fully be restored in the area.
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