'We are doing all that we can:' Tampa Mayor Castor addresses concerns after Hurricane Milton

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa Mayor Jane Castor addressed several critical concerns, including power and gas, at a news conference on Hurricane Milton recovery efforts Friday.

Power outages

Florida power outages: Hurricane Milton knocks out power to millions

Mayor Castor, along with Mary Lou Carn from TECO, said crews are working around the clock to restore electricity after nearly 600,000 customers lost power.

"We will experience a longer restoration time than our community experienced with prior storms," Carn said, adding that flooding and fallen trees were the primary reasons for such widespread outages.

TECO says it has mobilized 6,000 workers from all over the U.S. and Canada to continue restoration efforts, and customers could get a timeline for restoration later on Friday.

For updates on TECO outages and restoration, click here.

Traffic lights

Traffic signals at intersections are also significantly impacted by power outages, with 65 percent of all traffic lights in the city down as of Friday morning.

City officials are reminding all drivers that intersections without working signals are to be treated as four-way stops, adding that a 53-year-old woman was killed in a crash at a Tampa intersection around 10 p.m. Thursday night.

When will more gas be available?

READ: Lack of power impacting gas distribution in Bay Area

Castor said six sites at Port Tampa Bay, which provide fuel to 17 counties, are surrounded by rainwater.

The mayor said the goal is to have at least three of those sites ready to distribute gas by the end of the day on Friday.

"We are doing all that we can," Castor said.

Flooding

READ: Hurricane Milton brings extensive flooding to Tampa’s University Area neighborhood

Castor said some areas that don't usually experience flooding are dealing with standing water, including two locations where water is being pumped out:

South of Fowler Ave. between 22nd and 30th streets
Forest Hills

The city is opening neighborhood support centers, offering things like food and hygiene support, at the following locations:

Copeland Park, 11001 N 15th St
Babe Zaharias Golf Course, 11412 N Forest Hills Dr

Staying updated

For more information on the City of Tampa's response to Hurricane Milton – including debris and solid waste collection, reporting damage, and contact information for assistance – click here.

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