‘A mad dash to find gas’: Empty stations and gridlock make Hurricane Milton evacuations tricky

Floridians attempting to leave the area have been caught up in heavy congestion leaving via a small number of routes

Florida residents have described a “mad dash to get gas” as thousands scramble to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton.

Those attempting to leave the area have been caught up in heavy congestion and other travel headaches. In areas such as Pinellas County, which encompasses the cities of Clearwater and St Petersburg and has a population just shy of one million, up to 60 percent of residents have been told to get out.

Authorities are taking a more proactive approach to storm preparations and evacuation in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which killed over 200 people across six states. Milton is expected to slam into Tampa on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents that “time is running out” for them to evacuate. “You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not,” he said. “So, use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family.”

According to GasBuddy, a live gas station outage tracker, on Tuesday over 40 per cent of stations in the Tampa/ St Petersburg area were without gas. Both the Fort Myers/Naples area and Gainesville also experienced shortages, with around a quarter of stations in the areas experiencing shortages.

Florida residents describe a ‘mad dash’ for gas as thousands are forced to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

St Petersburg resident Sarah, 25, said that before evacuating to her mom’s house on Monday, she had tried “four or five gas stations” that were either completely out of fuel, or reduced to selling premium.

“I ended up filling up with premium and spent a ton of money,” she told The Independent. “I think that that has been like a similar experience with some of my friends who live in the St Petersburg area, because I’m sure transportation of gas has been an issue.

“People already got a whole bunch of gas last time around [during Helene], and it’s only been a week… In the Tampa area it’s been like a mad dash to find gas.”

On social media, residents from cities across the area shared how shortages of gas had impacted their decisions whether to stay put or evacuate.

X user Kayla Cardillo, from Sarasota – about 35 miles south of Tampa – wrote: “They are evacuating my town, but there is no gas left to evacuate, and traffic is so bad that it could be more dangerous to try and evacuate at this point. What would you do if you were me?”

One user replied: “I live in Lakewood Ranch and got gas on Fruitville road right near 75. We are in a 4 story apartment that is only 4 years old. I’m sure it’s up to code. We are staying put and riding it out. For those that live within 3 miles of the beach, you better get out. Please.”

As well as advice, people were quick to offer practical help such as places to stay further north and assistance acquiring gas.

“It definitely seems like people are taking it more seriously than they did during Helene,” Sarah told The Independent. Despite her typically hour-long trip to her mom’s house taking three, she said that others on the road had not been particularly aggressive.

“I think because of how horrible Helene ended up being that a lot of people are doing their best to help each other,” she said. “I think that that is kind of keeping the crazies at bay for now, so it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.”

Resident flee from downtown Tampa ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected arrival, which is set to make landfall on Wednesday (AP)

The Florida Department of Transportion said that it was actively monitoring developments with Milton, while continuing to provide support in the aftermath of Helene.

In a statement on its website, the department said that interstate lane closures and operations on active construction projects within the projected path of the storm had been suspended.

“Contractors on these construction projects are currently securing work sites, clearing traffic control devices that are not actively being used to direct traffic, and checking drainage systems,” the statement read.

The department added that tolls on highways across central and western Florida had been suspended, and coastal drawbridges in the area had been locked down in anticipation of the approaching storm.