LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Picture 50,000 dump trucks filled up and lined up for 250 miles.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
Lake County officials said that’s how much storm debris crews have collected since Hurricane Milton blew through in early October.
While Hurricane Season officially ended a few weeks ago, the chore of gathering up the storm’s aftermath is ongoing.
READ: Tavares leaders vote to immediately remove fluoride from city’s water supply
The Public Works department estimated that 500,000 cubic yards of debris have been scooped up from neighborhoods throughout the county.
It’s the most that crews have had to collect in the county’s history — topping the huge undertaking after Hurricane Irma in 2017, when roughly 440,000 cubic yards of debris needed to be wrangled from roadsides.
This year’s efforts have not been easy, but officials said hard work has allowed them remove most of the mess in about two months’ time.
READ: Sheriff: $48K recovered in illegal gambling bust in Lake County
Lake County said one way it met the ongoing challenge was by purchasing its own equipment when contractors were hard to find.
By spreading out across more than 1,300 miles of roadways, crews have been able to help more than 25,000 Lake County residents to date.
To learn more about post-storm debris collection efforts in Lake County, click here.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2024 Cox Media Group
