In Hurricane Michael’s Wake, Florida Panhandle Faces Steep Path Back To Normal

Port. St. Joe Mayor Bo Patterson stands in front of what’s left of one of the towns two gas stations. Both were destroyed by Hurricane Michael, the fuel pumps torn from their concrete slabs.

Debbie Elliott / Debbie Elliott/NPR

More than a week after Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida panhandle, cities and towns are facing the daunting task of trying to rebuild. The recovery is hampered by catastrophic damage not only to homes and businesses, but to vital infrastructure as well.

The small Gulf coast town of Port St. Joe, with a population of about 3,500 residents, is one of countless communities that was hit by the storm.

“Everywhere you turn and go you see some kind of destruction,” says the town’s mayor, Bo Patterson. “Whether it was wind damage, whether it was water, one of the two.”