Florida Panhandle Struggling to Recover from Hurricane Michael

Residents of Panama City and other Florida communities are calling for help, but it's unclear when help will arrive. The restoration of running water and electricity is the primary concern.

1 minute read

October 15, 2018, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Florida National Guard

The Florida National Guard on the scene in Clarksville, Florida. | The National Guard / Flickr

The stories coming from the Florida Panhandle five days are intensifying in their distress after Hurricane Michael left a path of destruction four days ago.

Talal Ansari reports this morning that residents of Panama City are entering their fifth day without running water or electricity. Bay County, Florida, where Panama City is located, has implemented a 6:30 pm to 6:30 am curfew.

Ansari provides more details: "As of Sunday evening, 58,118 customers were still without power, according to Gulf Power. An estimated 35,000 utility workers from 26 states are in the region to help restore power, but in remote areas, electricity is still expected to remain out for weeks to come."

Personal anecdotes on the scene confirm a rising sense of desperation and reports of scant relief in the aftermath of the hurricane's destruction. Ansari's coverage echoes reporting by Richard Fausset, Audra D. S. Burch, and Alan Blinder from a few days earlier sharing similar stories.

Monday, October 15, 2018 in BuzzFeed News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Streetcar and bus stopped at station on Market Street in San Francisco with Ferry Building visible in background.

Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street

If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.

April 16 - San Francisco Examiner

Parklet with wooden benches and flower boxes on street in Ireland.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces

Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.

April 16 - Streetsblog San Francisco

Bronze statue of homeless man (Jesus) with head down and arm outstretched in front of St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.

April 16 - The New York Times