PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) ― More than a thousand people were still missing on Wednesday a week after Hurricane Michael flattened communities across the Florida Panhandle, killing at least 27.

Teams made up of hundreds of volunteers with the Houston-based CrowdSource Rescue organization were searching for more than 1,135 people in Florida who lost contact with friends and family, Matthew Marchetti, co-founder of Houston-based CrowdSource Rescue.

Most of those missing are from Panama City and many are elderly, disabled, impoverished, or live alone, Marchetti said.

Florida officials have not given a number for how many people are considered to be missing. Those who are missing may be with relatives and friends, and not necessarily presumed dead.

Debris, downed trees and power lines have hampered access to stranded people, but CrowdSource said a number of its missing person reports resulted from widespread phone and power outages.

Scott Olson via Getty Images Frank Barone cuts up a tree which was downed by Hurricane Michael and blocking a residential street on October 14, 2018 in Panama City, Florida.

The death toll includes 17 in Florida, one in Georgia, three in North Carolina and six in Virginia, according to a Reuters tally of official reports. Officials said medical examiners were determining whether another four deaths in Florida were due to the storm.

Michael slammed into the northwest coastal strip of Florida last Wednesday with top sustained winds of 155 miles per hour (250 km/h), unleashing a surge of seawater that demolished homes.

About 35,000 Floridians have called Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking help since and the agency has already approved $1 million in assistance for people in those 12 counties, spokesman Ruben Brown in Tallahassee said.

FEMA has distributed about 4.5 million meals, more than 5 million liters of water and 9 million infant-and-toddler kits, he said.

Scott Olson via Getty Images Volunteers help distribute food, water, cleaning supplies and other necessities to victims of Hurricane Michael at an aid distribution point on October 15, 2018 in Panama City, Florida.

In Mexico Beach, which took a direct hit, the number of people missing dropped to three on Tuesday, said Rex Putnal, a city councillor. A day earlier, it was more than 30. The town of 1,200 residents had reported two fatalities as of Monday.

Nearly 163,000 homes and businesses remained without power in the U.S. Southeast, with residents of battered coastal towns forced to cook on fires and barbecue grills.

At least 80 percent of customers in three mainly rural Panhandle counties were without electricity on Tuesday. Officials said it could be weeks before power returns to some.

Countless others in the region’s backcountry have struggled for days without running water or sanitation, awaiting help from authorities. Some have been camping in tents with the belongings they were able to salvage.

The state government is distributing ice, water and about 3 million ready-to-eat meals, Governor Rick Scott’s office said.

Marchetti said the search has been hindered by spotty cell phone coverage in the devastated area, though authorities are making progress in restoring communications.

Many residents have also expressed frustration at the slow pace of recovery of wireless networks. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Tuesday called for wireless carriers to waive bills for customers affected by the storm.

(Additional reporting by Terray Sylvester and Bernie Woodall in Florida, Steve Gorman in Los Angeles, Andrew Hay in New Mexico, Brendan O’Brien in Milwaukee, Jonathan Allen and Gabriella Borter in New York and David Shepardson in Washington; Writing by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Rosalba O’Brien, James Dalgleish and David Stamp)</s>Rescue organizations are still searching for more than 1,000 people who are missing in Florida.

There are at least 1,000 people in Florida who are still missing one week after Hurricane Michael. Most of those still unaccounted for are elderly, disabled, or people who live alone, according to CNBC.

Florida officials have not given a hard number for how many missing persons they are still seeking, but the number is over 1,000. The missing people are not assumed dead. Communication is still difficult in the state due to extensive storm damage, and officials say that the missing people may be with friends or relatives.

There are still phone and power outages in many areas of the state, and debris and downed trees are making it difficult for rescuers to get into some neighborhoods. At this time, volunteer rescue groups are not being allowed in areas hit hardest by the storm for their own safety. One volunteer rescue group is still searching for more than 400 people who have been reported missing.

Michael made landfall in the Florida panhandle one week ago today, slamming into Mexico Beach first. This part of the panhandle was hit the hardest by the storm, taking the brunt of 155 mph winds from the Category 4 hurricane.

Michael was the third-worst storm to ever make landfall in the U.S., according to historic weather records. It was the worst hurricane to ever hit this part of Florida in recorded weather history.

Slowly, officials are clearing away debris and contacting Florida residents to determine their status.

There are only three people still missing in Mexico Beach as of Tuesday, down from more than 30 on Monday, as reported by the Inquisitr.

A majority of residents in rural areas of the panhandle are still without power. Some people will wait for weeks before power is restored. There are 150,000 homes and businesses in Florida without power as of Wednesday, according to the BBC. Some residents are camping out in tents and sleeping bags near their destroyed homes.

Power outages and phone service outages have made it difficult for FEMA to distribute food and water and for officials to contact missing people, reports Reuters.

So far, 17 people in Florida are dead as a direct result of Hurricane Michael. The number could go higher as more debris is cleared away and bodies are found.

Workers are attempting to restore power and phone services to all hurricane-ravaged areas, though this process will ultimately take weeks.

The Florida Department of Health has created an online form for those who want to report missing friends and loved ones.</s>Do You Know Someone Who Is Missing After Hurricane Michael?

Hundreds of Florida Panhandle residents have been rescued after Hurricane Michael, but many remain missing. Are you still searching for a friend or loved one, or do you know someone who is?

You can contact NPR below to share your story.

To officially report a person who is missing, Florida's Department of Health has set up this online form. State officials say they will route responses to local authorities.</s>related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

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More than a thousand people were still missing on Wednesday a week after Hurricane Michael flattened communities across the Florida Panhandle, killing at least 27.

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla.: More than a thousand people were still missing on Wednesday a week after Hurricane Michael flattened communities across the Florida Panhandle, killing at least 27.

Teams made up of hundreds of volunteers with the Houston-based CrowdSource Rescue organization were searching for more than 1,135 people in Florida who lost contact with friends and family, Matthew Marchetti, co-founder of Houston-based CrowdSource Rescue.

Most of those missing are from Panama City and many are elderly, disabled, impoverished, or live alone, Marchetti said.

Florida officials have not given a number for how many people are considered to be missing. Those who are missing may be with relatives and friends, and not necessarily presumed dead.

Debris, downed trees and power lines have hampered access to stranded people, but CrowdSource said a number of its missing person reports resulted from widespread phone and power outages.

The death toll includes 17 in Florida, one in Georgia, three in North Carolina and six in Virginia, according to a Reuters tally of official reports. Officials said medical examiners were determining whether another four deaths in Florida were due to the storm.

Michael slammed into the northwest coastal strip of Florida last Wednesday with top sustained winds of 155 miles per hour (250 km/h), unleashing a surge of seawater that demolished homes.

About 35,000 Floridians have called Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking help since and the agency has already approved US$1 million in assistance for people in those 12 counties, spokesman Ruben Brown in Tallahassee said.

FEMA has distributed about 4.5 million meals, more than 5 million litres of water and 9 million infant-and-toddler kits, he said.

In Mexico Beach, which took a direct hit, the number of people missing dropped to three on Tuesday, said Rex Putnal, a city councillor. A day earlier, it was more than 30. The town of 1,200 residents had reported two fatalities as of Monday.

Nearly 163,000 homes and businesses remained without power in the U.S. Southeast, with residents of battered coastal towns forced to cook on fires and barbecue grills.

At least 80 percent of customers in three mainly rural Panhandle counties were without electricity on Tuesday. Officials said it could be weeks before power returns to some.

Countless others in the region's backcountry have struggled for days without running water or sanitation, awaiting help from authorities. Some have been camping in tents with the belongings they were able to salvage.

The state government is distributing ice, water and about 3 million ready-to-eat meals, Governor Rick Scott's office said.

Marchetti said the search has been hindered by spotty cell phone coverage in the devastated area, though authorities are making progress in restoring communications.

Many residents have also expressed frustration at the slow pace of recovery of wireless networks. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Tuesday called for wireless carriers to waive bills for customers affected by the storm.</s>Rescuers search for 1,000 missing in Florida Panhandle after hurricane

LYNN HAVEN, Florida: Rescue workers and volunteers searched for more than 1,000 people still missing in the Florida Panhandle and tens of thousands of residents remained without power on Tuesday after the area was devastated by Hurricane Michael last week.

At least 19 deaths in four states have been blamed on Michael which made landfall on Wednesday as one of the most powerful storms on record to hit the continental United States.

Volunteer rescue organization CrowdSource Rescue said its teams were trying to find 1,300 people still missing in the disaster zone in the Panhandle, according to Matthew Marchetti, co-founder of the Houston-based group.

About 30 to 40 people remained unaccounted for in Mexico Beach, according to a city councillor, Rex Putnal. The mayor of the town of about 1,200 residents, which took a direct hit from the hurricane, has said that at least one person was killed, while CNN reported that another person was found dead on Monday.

With most Mexico Beach homes already searched for survivors, rescue workers were using dogs to find any bodies that might be buried under the debris.

More than 200,000 people were still without power in the US Southeast, with residents of battered coastal towns such as Port St.Joe, Florida forced to cook on fires and barbecue grills. At least 80 percent of customers in three mainly rural Panhandle counties were without electricity on Tuesday. Officials said it could be weeks before power returns to the areas that sustained the most damage.

Countless residents in the region´s backcountry have struggled for days without electricity, running water or sanitation as they await help from authorities. Some have been camping in tents with whatever belongings they were able to salvage.

"I´m staying out here to try to keep away looters, to try to save what I can save," said Bernard Sutton, a 64-year-old cancer patient, who has been living out of a tent and broken-down minivan.

"This is everything we own right here," he said, standing over a heap of clothes, books, furniture and other belongings. Access to those stranded by the storm was hampered by downed oak trees across highways and dirt roads.

"Everyone needs help. We´re devastated out here. We´re wiped off the map," said Gabriel Schaw, 40, gesturing to a handful of neighbors surrounding his own demolished mobile home in Fountain, Florida. The state government is distributing ice, water and about 3 million ready-to-eat meals, according to Governor Rick Scott´s office. With top sustained winds of 155 miles per hour (250 km per hour), Michael hit the Florida Panhandle as a Category 4 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale on Wednesday.

The winds and storm surge caused insured losses worth between an estimated $6 billion and $10 billion, risk modeler AIR Worldwide said. Those figures do not include losses paid out by the National Flood Insurance Program or uninsured property, AIR Worldwide said. Water supply was restored to some residents in Panama City on Monday but Bay County officials said it was not yet safe to drink.</s>Nearly 137,000 Florida customers remain without power from the Gulf of Mexico to the Georgia border

Gaige Williams, 2, cools off in a storage container outside the damaged motel where he lives with his family in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla., Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018. Many residents rode out the storm and have no place to go even though many of the rooms are uninhabitable. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Hurricane Michael killed at least 16 people in Florida, most of them in the coastal county that took a direct hit from the storm, state emergency authorities said Tuesday. That’s in addition to at least 10 deaths elsewhere across the South.

The scope of the storm’s fury became clearer after nearly a week of missing-persons reports and desperate searches of the Florida Panhandle neighbourhoods devastated by the most powerful hurricane to hit the continental U.S. in nearly 50 years.

The count of 16 dead was twice the number previously tallied by The Associated Press.

Emergency authorities said 12 of the deaths were in Bay County, where the storm slammed ashore with 155 mph (250 kph) winds and towering storm surge last Wednesday.

Bay County includes Mexico Beach, the ground-zero town of 1,000 people that was nearly obliterated, as well as Tyndall Air Force Base, Panama City and Lynn Haven, all of which were heavily damaged.

Florida emergency authorities gave no details on how the victims died.

The AP’s tally also includes 10 deaths in Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina.

Mexico Beach Mayor Al Cathey said two deaths were confirmed in his town, a man and a woman who did not evacuate and whose homes were destroyed.

Only one person remained missing in Mexico Beach, Cathey said, adding that authorities were almost certain that that person evacuated before Michael and simply hasn’t been contacted.

“We’re holding steady at two and don’t expect that number to rise,” the mayor said.

Nearly 137,000 Florida customers remain without power in an 11-county region that stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the Georgia border, according to information compiled by state emergency management officials.

Meanwhile, a glimmer of hope emerged when cellphone service began to return to the stricken zone.

Cathey had a one-word exclamation when his Verizon phone started working for the first time in nearly a week: “Hallelujah!”

Verizon service also resumed in Panama City, where residents haven’t been able to contact loved ones or call for help. The telecommunications giant later announced it would give a three-month credit to every Verizon customer in Bay and Gulf counties.

Gov. Rick Scott had been criticizing phone companies over what he called a slow restoration of service.

Sitting outside in the sweltering heat in the Panama City area as she fanned herself with a flyswatter, Christy Tanksley said the sudden improvement in cell service was a huge relief.

“A lot of people didn’t even know we had evacuated and come back,” said Tanksley, whose phone runs off the Verizon network.

“I turned my phone on this morning and it started going crazy,” she said. “There were all kinds of messages, Facebook notifications, emails and emergency alerts.”

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.</s>GAINESVILLE (CBSMiami) – Florida continually ranks as one of the top five honey producing states in the country but Hurricane Michael significantly impacted the beekeeping industry in the Florida Panhandle.

The area is home to about 500 registered beekeepers and nearly 50,000 colonies, which amounts to more than 1.2 billion bees.

These colonies are vital to Florida agriculture because the bees provide pollination services to many of the state’s crops.

Last year, Florida beekeepers produced over 8 million pounds of honey, but now beekeepers in the Florida Panhandle are racing to save their colonies because resources such as blooming trees and flowers were destroyed in the hurricane. In addition, many of the colonies were been destroyed, damaged or otherwise cannot be accessed due to the hurricane.

All monetary donations are tax-deductible and will be used to purchase supplies needed by the affected beekeepers.

Beekeepers may need help working their colonies once they are able to access their apiaries.

Therefore, beekeepers are encouraged to contact the FSBA hotline at 985-664-9606 to be added to a volunteer list. Volunteer beekeepers are encouraged to bring all relevant beekeeping equipment, such as personal protective equipment, heavy equipment and chainsaws, when or if invited to assist.

If you’d like to volunteer to help, please contact the FSBA hotline before making any trip to the panhandle due to limited or no access to impacted areas.</s>GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Hurricane Michael significantly impacted the beekeeping industry in the Florida Panhandle.

The area is home to about 500 registered beekeepers and nearly 50,000 colonies, which amounts to more than 1.2 billion bees. These colonies are vital to Florida agriculture because the bees pollinate many of the state’s crops.

Beekeepers in the Florida Panhandle are racing to save their colonies as many forage resources — blooming trees and flowers — were destroyed in the hurricane. Furthermore, many of the colonies have been destroyed, damaged or otherwise cannot be accessed due to the hurricane.

You can help in the effort. The Florida State Beekeepers Association established a GoFundMe if you would like to make a donation. All funds donated are tax-deductible and will be used to buy supplies needed by the affected beekeepers.

Also, beekeepers may need help working their colonies once they are able to access the area. If you would like to volunteer, call the Florida State Beekeepers Association hotline at 985-664-9606.</s>Florida officials announced Tuesday that Hurricane Michael has killed 16 people in the state.

In total, the storm has killed 26 people across four southern US states, officials said.

Nine more dead were added to Florida’s toll on Tuesday afternoon. One was a man whose body was discovered by a search dog in the decimated city of Mexico Beach on the Florida Panhandle.

While most of Mexico Beach lies in ruins, many evacuated residents still haven’t seen what’s left of their homes. They’ve had to wait for authorities to secure the area and complete search-and-rescue efforts before returning home.

That will change Wednesday, when residents will be allowed back to Mexico Beach, city officials said.

So far, the numbers don’t look good. Across Bay County, more than 2,500 structures are damaged, and at least 162 have been destroyed, Bay County Emergency Services said.

Officials have said six people died in Virginia, three died in North Carolina and one person was killed in Georgia.

‘We’re just going to leave it’

Some Mexico Beach residents are cutting their losses and will start a new life elsewhere.

Joe Bush, who said he loved living there for 19 years, said he’s decided to move. His house, furniture and vehicles were all heavily damaged by Michael

“I couldn’t get nothing for this land now,” Bush said. “People gonna be scared to death to come down here to buy and invest money. So we’re just going to leave it.”

But others, including Randy June, said Mexico Beach will always be his home — even though his house is now a pile of rubble.

“We ain’t going nowhere,” he said. “We’re going to rebuild somehow. I just don’t know how yet.

More than 158,000 power customers didn’t have electricity Tuesday, including nearly 140,000 customers in Florida.

The number of actual people without power is much higher, since a single customer can represent an entire household.

Drivers have been lining up for hours to get fuel. And residents in the hardest-hit areas are relying on airdropped food and water to survive.

As 4,000 Florida National Guard troops continue relief efforts, Gov. Rick Scott wrote a letter to their employers asking for patience and lauding the troops’ bravery.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has 12 teams in Florida to help people register for disaster assistance. It also has 42 distribution points throughout Florida and Georgia where people can get food and water.

FEMA said 16,000 federal employees, including over 8,000 military personnel, were helping with response efforts.

‘Nobody was in tears about being hungry’

Chad Frazier has plenty of reasons to be devastated. His business was wiped out by the hurricane. His son’s middle school in Panama City was also annihilated.

But Frazier is too thankful to be upset. Immediately after the hurricane, strangers came from out of town to provide food and water. They even beat FEMA to the scene, Frazier said.

“The people who came, that was the biggest blessing to us,” he said. “I didn’t see nobody in panic mode. Nobody was in tears about being hungry.”

As he stood in front of a mountain of debris, Frazier said he’s coping well thanks to the outpouring of generosity.

“My shop is down, (but) I’m not in bad spirits,” he said. “This just made my faith grow.”</s>(PANAMA CITY, Fla.) — Hurricane Michael killed at least 16 people in Florida, most of them in the coastal county that took a direct hit from the storm, state emergency authorities said Tuesday. That’s in addition to at least 10 deaths elsewhere across the South.

The scope of the storm’s fury became clearer after nearly a week of missing-persons reports and desperate searches of the Florida Panhandle neighborhoods devastated by the most powerful hurricane to hit the continental U.S. in nearly 50 years.

The count of 16 dead was twice the number previously tallied by The Associated Press.

Emergency authorities said 12 of the deaths were in Bay County, where the storm slammed ashore with 155 mph (250 kph) winds and towering storm surge last Wednesday.

Bay County includes Mexico Beach, the ground-zero town of 1,000 people that was nearly obliterated, as well as Tyndall Air Force Base, Panama City and Lynn Haven, all of which were heavily damaged.

Florida emergency authorities gave no details on how the victims died.

The AP’s tally also includes 10 deaths in Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina.

Mexico Beach Mayor Al Cathey said two deaths were confirmed in his town, a man and a woman who did not evacuate and whose homes were destroyed.

Only one person remained missing in Mexico Beach, Cathey said, adding that authorities were almost certain that that person evacuated before Michael and simply hasn’t been contacted.

“We’re holding steady at two and don’t expect that number to rise,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, a glimmer of hope emerged when cellphone service began to return to the stricken zone.

Cathey had a one-word exclamation when his Verizon phone started working for the first time in nearly a week: “Hallelujah!”

Verizon service also resumed in Panama City, where residents haven’t been able to contact loved ones or call for help.

Gov. Rick Scott had been criticizing phone companies over what he called a slow restoration of service.

Sitting outside in the sweltering heat in the Panama City area as she fanned herself with a flyswatter, Christy Tanksley said the sudden improvement in cell service was a huge relief.

“A lot of people didn’t even know we had evacuated and come back,” said Tanksley, whose phone runs off the Verizon network.

“I turned my phone on this morning and it started going crazy,” she said. “There were all kinds of messages, Facebook notifications, emails and emergency alerts.”

Associated Press writers Curt Anderson in Miami and Gary Fineout in Tallahassee contributed to this story.

For the latest on Hurricane Michael, visit https://www.apnews.com/tag/Hurricanes
Over 1,000 people remain missing a week after Hurricane Michael made landfall in the Florida Panhandle.