Floridians reeling from Hurricane Milton are still hunting for gasoline days later in some heavily affected areas. Residents who were evacuating or just filling up before the storm caused a run on supplies, but the state has been working hard to help keep areas stocked.

And they're offering free gas in some of the hardest-hit areas.

"So since reopening fuel deliveries following the storm, 2,500 trucks have deployed from Port Tampa Bay to bring fuel to the region," Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference at Port Manatee Monday. "They've unloaded a total of 5 million gallons of fuel from Port Tampa. That's 2 million more than they would usually do over a similar period of time.

"And then here in Manatee, and we'll say a little bit more about this, because they weren't supposed to do anything by now, over 300,000 gallons and 60,000 gallons of diesel have been deployed, and they're doing more as we speak," he said. On the east coast, Port Canaveral has surged 12 million gallons since the storm, double their usual output, DeSantis said.

The governor pointed out that it isn't up to the state where gas is delivered — "this is all private industry" — but the Florida Highway Patrol and local law enforcement have helped get it delivered.

"Over 100 tankers have been escorted just by Florida Highway Patrol since Milton made landfall," he said. "So I want to thank everybody for doing that."

One of the ways the state has been able to help directly is by opening fuekl depots in areas affected by Milton and giving away gas.

"We've actually opened up our own fuel sites over the weekend," DeSantis said. "So today, we have fuel for the public, not even charging you free, free gas. Imagine that.

"Helps to have a budget surplus," he said.

Is Florida giving away free gas for areas affected by Hurricane Milton?

Florida Disaster Emergency Management has opened 12 public fuel depot locations. Fuel is only for cars, and you can get 10 gallons per car.

Most fuel sites will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, while some will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where are the free fuel depots in Florida?

Editor’s note: Visit the Duke Energy News Center for downloadable B-roll and high-resolution images.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Duke Energy Florida has completed power restoration for over 95% of customers in Brevard, Citrus, Hernando, Highlands, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia counties post-Hurricane Milton – meaning the company met, and in many cases exceeded, that estimated time of restoration.

As of 9 a.m. ET today, Monday, Oct. 14, total storm-related outages have decreased from over 1 million to approximately 105,000. Most of these customers who remain without power in Pinellas and Pasco counties are expected to be restored by 11:59 p.m. ET tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 15.

“We recognize just how important timely power restoration is to our customers – not only so they can live their day-to-day lives, but also so they can begin the recovery process,” said Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm director. “While we’re proud of the significant progress we’ve made so far, we remain committed to accomplishing our goal of getting the lights back on for all customers who are capable of receiving power by the end of the day tomorrow.”

It is important to note that customers who experienced extensive damage or flooding may require additional time for restoration and some should be prepared for extended outages. Updates will be communicated as soon as possible.

Customers who cannot receive power as a result of damage to the property’s meter base, breaker panel or customer-owned electrical wiring should contact their local municipalities for guidance. Inspections may be required after repairs are complete.

Power outages can be reported four different ways:

The most up-to-date information about power outages can be accessed on Duke Energy’s Outage Map or by enrolling in Outage Alerts.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

Contact: Ana Gibbs 24-Hour: 800.559.3853

It’s been a brutal few weeks for Florida.

If you’re one of the thousands who are recovering from the state’s back-to-back hurricane blows, there are dozens of organizations committed to helping.

St. Pete Girls Who Walk (SPGWW) started last July as a fun way for people to socialize and get their steps in. But since Hurricane Helene, the volunteer group has mobilized into a dedicated storm relief team.

They’ve been handing out food, cleaning out houses and doing almost anything they can to help.

Club leader Victoria Arczynski said the volunteers just want to give back to the community.

“Sometimes, it’s hard to not cry," Arczynski said. "Especially the first day, I was walking through the flooded houses and just seeing their wedding albums completely destroyed. It was really upsetting.”

The group partners with Lagoon Pontoons for their boat day events. When the owner’s house was destroyed by Helene’s storm surge, a couple of SPGWW girls took on the project.

With over 6,000 Instagram followers and 1,500 active GroupMe members, they often form teams to tackle different relief efforts at once.

People will often request their services when they see the group cleaning up in their neighborhood. Last week, they assisted a family whose house flooded in a non-flood zone in Lutz.

“They have chickens and animals outside, and three daughters, with no power. So the girls took over mac and cheese and chicken nuggets for their little daughters, and then helped clean up all day,” Arczynski said.

From free food and power access, to volunteer teams that can help restore your home, here’s a list of some hurricane relief efforts in the greater Tampa Bay region.

RELATED: Hurricane recovery - Here's how to get help, and offer your assistance

St. Pete Girls Who Walk In collaboration with Operation BBQ, the group will be handing out free food for hurricane victims.

What's available: Free barbecque meals. When: starting at noon, until resources last, daily from Oct. 15 to Oct. 20. Could be extended. Where: Bay Pines Walmart

The club is also working on cleaning out flood victims' houses. You can follow their events and reach out for help on their Instagram.

Salvation Army Tampa Bay The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services are setting up mobile canteens at these locations throughout the Bay area.

What’s available: Lunch, dinner, water and more emergency supplies. When: All canteens will be open from 12-6 p.m., daily starting Oct. 11. Where:

Detailed information about the Salvation Army’s Hurricane Milton relief efforts can be found here.

Mutual Aid Disaster Relief The organization will host a free market at the Waters Avenue Church. The site will serve as a hub for all kinds of donations, resource sharing, wellness services and more.

What’s available: Food, water, tools, power access, clothes, shoes and many other items. They’re accepting donations, volunteers for distribution and financial contributions. When: 12-4 p.m., daily starting Oct. 11. Where: 609 W Waters Ave., Tampa

You can contact them via their Instagram.

Florida Division of Emergency Management Fuel distribution sites have opened across Tampa Bay, courtesy of the state.

What’s available: Up to 10 gallons of gas per vehicle. When: 7 a.m.-7 p.m., every day. Where:

Gas availability is not guaranteed. Check for updates on your county’s website and social media.

Additionlly, here's a list of organizations to keep an eye on for hurricane relief. Many are actively looking for volunteers, and amplifying relief efforts across the Bay area.

Many small businesses are coming together to offer free food and a place to gather and recharge, such as Bandit Coffee and Pete's Bagels in St. Petersburg.

Follow local businesses in your area to stay updated, and to lend a helping hand.

HURRICANE RECOVERY

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Many across Tampa Bay are still without food and water after Hurricane Milton.

What You Need To Know

To help bring those necessities to residents, Hope Florida has made a trip to St. Petersburg- stopping at three sites in the Tampa Bay area.

Droves of vehicles lined up at a parking lot off 18th Avenue South in St. Petersburg— twisting and turning their way around for a special distribution.

“We are here today to help replenish the food that they lost as a result of the hurricane,” said Karen Rae, executive director of Positive Impact Ministries.

It’s all coordinated by Hope Florida— an initiative founded by Florida first lady Casey DeSantis to help after these disaster situations. Made possible with some help from local organizations.

“They are very grateful, they are very patient," said Beth Houghton, CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County. "It is a bit of a long wait but they’re very grateful that the local partners, as well as the state of Florida, has come together to get them what they needed quickly.”

It has even brought out volunteers who, on a weekly distribution day, would be lining up themselves. Volunteers like Tej Clarke.

“My brother and I, today, we went to work and when we were going home, we saw the line and we know this part because they do this every Saturday," said Tej Clarke, a St. Petersburg resident. "So I told my brother let’s stop, I want to talk with somebody and see what’s going on so I can help.”

And despite the recent hurricane, community is still showing up.

“It’s been hard on all of us," says Rae. "It’s very emotional, it’s very personal- it’s just a real blessing to be able to serve the community and out here meeting the dire need for food but, not only the dire need for food but, for other products as well.”

Community coming together for one another.

“It feels good to help!" said Clarke. "You know? It feels good to see smiles on people’s faces and the children in the car when you take a pastry to them- it feels so good!”

With a car full of food and a smile goodbye, it makes it all worthwhile. And depending on how much food and supplies are left over, there may be another distribution tomorrow.

President Joe Biden is flying into MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa Sunday morning to begin his second visit in a little more than a week to hurricane-ravaged communities in Florida.

He is expected to deliver remarks at St. Pete Beach, which took a one-two punch from a Cat. 4 Hurricane Helene sideswipe and then a near direct hit from Cat. 3 Hurricane Milton.

On Thursday night, St. Petersburg clocked three hours of gusts of over 70 mph and a peak gust of 102 mph and was swamped by as much as 18 inches of rain during the storm.

Milton flooded neighborhoods, destroyed homes, ripped the roof off a major sports stadium, toppled a massive crane into an office building and knocked almost the entire counties off the electrical grid. More than 50% of the city remains in the dark as the statewide death toll rose to 18.

Here's the latest from the president's visit.

What's the itinerary for President Biden's visit

"A good early Sunday morning from the White House, where the sun has started to rise and the motorcade started to roll," wrote Washington Post pool reporter Matt Viser at 7:30 a.m.

The president has left the White House and is headed to Florida by way of Joint Base Andrews, his itinerary for the visit states. Once arriving in Tampa, he'll participate in an aerial tour of affected area en route to St. Pete Beach. At the conclusion of his visit, he'll fly to Wilmington, Del., by way of Philadelphia, Penn.

Here's a breakdown of his time in Florida.

The last time Biden was in Florida – just days ago

It was only 9 days ago that President Joe Biden last touched down in the Sunshine State. On Oct. 3 it was to see damage, speak to residents and responders and get a briefing on Hurricane Helene, which blasted Taylor County, a community that has been hit by three hurricanes in a single year.

He arrived at Tallahassee International Airport in Air Force One and then departed on Marine One to tour ground zero of Helene's landfall by air. After landing at Perry airport, a motorcade took him to Keaton Beach, which bore the brunt of Helene's storm surge.

Biden, who donned a baseball cap and aviator sunglasses, spent time speaking with Taylor County's first responders, including Sheriff Wayne Padgett.

“He was very nice, he shook all of our hands,” Morgan said.

Biden even sang “Happy Birthday” to one of the first responders.

“He was very supportive of what we have going on,” Morgan added.

The entire visit to Taylor County took no longer than two hours.

What Biden will see in St. Pete Beach

USA TODAY NETWORK journalists Alicia Devine and Elena Barrera were in St. Pete Beach on Friday afternoon. Here is what they saw.

Many residents living near the iconic pink Don Cesar hotel were grateful to avoid the worst case scenario by a matter of miles, when the storm tracked south of Tampa Bay and spared the coastal communities a historic 15-foot storm surge.

Residents said they were relieved to come home to find their homes essentially how they left them — only half ruined.

After Hurricane Helene flooded most residents' homes with three to four feet of water just two weeks ago, a resident who asked not to be named said they were "terrified of Milton."

All of the damage was superficial with homes missing a piece of siding or a shingle here and there. Debris piles and personal belongings lined the streets, but the St. Pete Beach resident said that was all from Helene.