The aftermath of Hurricane Ian

The St. Pete Catalyst is tracking the impact Hurricane Ian caused in Pinellas County. Please continue to revisit this story for updates.

As Hurricane Ian swept through Fort Myers, causing massive damage as a Category 4 storm, much of Tampa Bay experienced flooding and high winds, and hundreds of thousands were left without power Wednesday evening.  

By Thursday morning, the storm was traveling northeast across the state and was downgraded to a tropical storm. 

Mandatory evacuation orders for Pinellas County lifted for all evacuation zones, mobile home communities and residential health care facilities effective 9 a.m. 

How to report storm damage today, St. Pete:#StPeteRecovers pic.twitter.com/vAR3oUSjj5

— St. Petersburg, FL (@StPeteFL) September 29, 2022

County crews and first responders are proactively conducting damage assessments and response as needed.

As of 2:30 p.m., nearly 680,000 Duke Energy customers were without power in Florida. Duke Energy crews have made progress restoring more than 185,000 customers so far. Restoration could take longer for hardest-hit areas, the company wrote on Twitter. 

For Pasco and Pinellas counties, estimated restoration times will be provided later today on or before 8 p.m. 

This morning, Mayor @MayorKenWelch joined city crews on their first push to assess post-storm needs around the city. #stpeterecovers pic.twitter.com/VDvlBdqoaJ

— St. Petersburg, FL (@StPeteFL) September 29, 2022

Regarding debris, beginning Oct. 3, the City of St. Petersburg will start collecting debris from residential homes. Only green vegetation will be collected. Vegetation can be left on the edge of a property line, but the city is asking residents to not block meters or stack vegetation against other items like trees or garbage cans. The city will collect debris from all houses; and will follow normal sanitation routes.

Residents can also take debris to one of the city’s five brush sites, which will offer extended hours of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. beginning Friday until Sunday, Oct. 8, according to the city’s alert. 

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge has reopened to drivers. Florida Highway Patrol urges drivers to use caution due to debris along the highway shoulders.

Tampa International Airport, which closed Tuesday, will reopen Friday at 10 a.m. 

The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport announced it will be reopening Friday. The alert stated the airport did not experience significant damage at the terminal nor parking lots. 

The St. Pete Pier, Municipal Marina, Albert Whitted Airport and The Coliseum will reopen Friday. All of the city’s parks and recreation facilities will reopen Monday, according to the city. 

Images capturing the damage Hurricane Ian has caused in Pinellas County. 

A snapped tree in a North St. Pete residential neighborhood. Photo by Joe Hamilton.

A twisted carport overhang on 7th Street. Photo by Joe Hamilton.

A fallen tree in Northshore. Photo by Joe Hamilton.

Hurricane Ian damage at Polynesian Putter Golf in St. Pete Beach. Photo by Bill DeYoung.

A damaged wooden playset behind a residential home in St. Petersburg. Photo by Keara McGraw.