ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Hurricane Milton majorly impacted the Tampa Bay area, causing widespread power outages, plenty of storm debris, and contaminated water.
Along with the laundry list of issues, the area can add fuel shortages to the list.
Over the weekend, residents have been sitting for hours in lines, waiting to gas up their cars so they can get back to normalcy. But with the high demand, getting gas has been a struggle.
On Saturday, the city of St. Petersburg opened a fuel distribution site after Gov. Ron DeSantis gave the green light to the city, along with some in Manatee and Hillsborough counties, to give away up to 10 gallons of free fuel at those locations.
The city shared a video of the long wait times, as officials warned residents of the lengthy amount of time they’d have to sit in their vehicles.
Residents were able to receive up to 10 gallons of gasoline.
“945 people got fuel yesterday,” the city wrote on Sunday.
Gas stations across Tampa Bay are slowing refueling, allowing residents to top off their tanks. Residents can check gas apps to find fuel near them.