BRADENTON BEACH, Fla. — Amid the lingering scenes of destruction and devastation, a small sign of normalcy returns along some of Florida’s barrier islands that took the brunt of Hurricanes Helene and Milton: A moment relaxing along the sandy beach.
Some of the beaches have reopened just two weeks after Hurricane Milton again sent a miles-long and feet-deep stretch of the Gulf of Mexico smashing through beachfront towns with its storm surge. The scars remain — sand covering streets and yards as homes and businesses are either heavily damaged or in ruins.
“There’s sand in the water, there’s still some moisture below,” FOX Weather’s Robert Ray said while pointing out a damaged home in Bradenton Beach that sat just across the street from the beach. “There are bugs, (there are) odors.”
Over in Treasure Island, a debris pile continues to grow as crews haul away damaged property from across the island, now stretching 50 …