Clearwater residents rush to clean up Helene debris before Hurricane Milton makes landfall

FOX 13's Lloyd Sowers reports.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - If you’re looking for mountains in Florida, look to Clearwater Beach. There are mountains of storm debris from Hurricane Helene lining the streets.

As Hurricane Milton approaches, many here are evacuating for the second time.

Helene destroyed Christy Boccabella’s home on Indian Shores.

"So I took everything from there to here, and now I’m evacuating again. My plan is to pick up my daughter and go to Winter Haven," explained Boccabella.

Clearwater officials said they had trucks and contractors lined up before the storms. City Manager Jennifer Poirrier said they’ll work 24/7 so that pieces from people’s homes don’t become flying missiles in 100 mile an hour winds. But Milton won’t wait for them to finish.

READ: Tampa and Clearwater opening city garages for free ahead of Hurricane Milton

"At some point we will have to stop the collection and when we do that we will ask people to bring inside what they can," shared Poirrier.

But much will have to be left behind as people leave their homes.

"I can’t do anything about it. I can’t worry about what I can’t control," said Clearwater Beach resident George Papageorgiou. "If it’s here it’s here. If not, so be it."

Clearwater officials want everyone off the barrier islands before Milton arrives. After that, we’ll begin to see the effects of unprecedented visits from two powerful storms, a hurricane double feature that nobody wants to see.

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