Hurricane Helene

The Federal Emergency Management Agency this week said it spent about $11 billion helping people and communities recover from back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. Nearly $8 billion of that went to pay claims at the National Flood Insurance Program

Sarasota County Capital Projects has made temporary repairs to Manasota Key Road and the road is now open to traffic.

There is some relief for the many Southwest Florida business owners still navigating hurricane insurance claims and facing urgent rebuilding needs.Just in time for Small Business Week (May 4-10), the Small Business Administration has extended a critical 60-day grace period for Hurricane Helene and Milton survivors to apply for disaster recovery assistance.

IRS deadline for filing federal taxes for 2024 extended for all Florida counties.

Sarasota County’s Resilient SRQ program has released its draft action plan for public review, outlining proposed uses for $210 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. These funds will support long-term recovery efforts following Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Individuals impacted by Hurricanes Helene or Milton may be eligible for financial assistance through the American Red Cross. The Red Cross is providing financial assistance to Floridians whose homes suffered major damage or were destroyed by the hurricanes and who still face obstacles in their recovery. Red Cross financial assistance is not a loan and does not need to be repaid.

A deadline is fast approaching to get money to pay for damages from hurricanes Helene and Milton. The Small Business Administration — SBA — is offering loans to businesses and people who had losses in the storms.

2024 had a series of weather extremes and once in a lifetime events. Here is a look back at the top weather events of 2024.

Nearly 3 months after Helene, survivors face bleak conditions in western North Carolina as the holidays rapidly approach