Sarasota City Commissioner Erik Arroyo told Newsmax on Friday that officials remain at work restoring power and clearing debris following the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the last two weeks.
Arroyo told "Wake Up America" that some people in the city "are having a more difficult time than others" following the hurricanes, noting that, "you have trees that are down and blocking access to many of the streets" and "people who had debris from the last hurricane … that still wasn't able to be picked up."
He described the situation as "a logistical nightmare," adding, "it's truly not the best situation to be in, but we're doing the best we can."
"We're sticking together, neighbors helping neighbors," Arroyo said. "This is a time to come together."
He also noted that the Federal Emergency Management Agency "has also been in touch, and they're going to be providing a lot of assistance."
According to Arroyo, officials have determined that "there's over a dozen casualties" in the region.
"Today is going to be focused on just making … sure that the people that need it the most are getting their help," he said, mentioning restoring power to county residents, almost half of whom remain without electricity.
However, he added that those efforts have been hampered by electrical fires and other issues caused by damage from the hurricanes.
"That kind of catastrophe just exacerbates the effects of this hurricane, and it's going to make it more difficult to get power back on," Arroyo said.
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Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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