HAMPTON, Ga. — After Hurricane Milton moved out of Florida, evacuees who fled the storm are now grappling with their next steps. Some are preparing to head back home, while others wait anxiously for emergency crews to assess the damage.
At Atlanta Motor Speedway, evacuees like Michael, who left Florida with his dog Gizmo, are weighing their options.
"When I saw this one coming, I knew I couldn't survive it. I just got out," Michael said, reflecting on his decision to evacuate ahead of the storm.
Michael described the devastation he had already heard about from friends back home.
“The mobile home park where we lived is completely wiped out — flooded, with trees down and power lines everywhere," he said.
For now, he’s camping out at the speedway with several others, and he's unsure of when or if he’ll return to Florida. His next stop: Ohio, where family awaits.
Further south in Jackson, Georgia, Cheryl Carr is contemplating a different path. She evacuated from Fernandina Beach on Tuesday and found shelter at First Baptist Church along with two neighbors. Despite the uncertainty, Carr is determined to return home as soon as possible.
"We’re fighting with our money—just trying to make it work," she said. "It’s been a nightmare, but we’ve got to go home. People told us we were crazy to leave, but you have to think about your life."
Carr is unsure what conditions await her back in Florida, but she’s preparing for the worst. "I’ll be ready if nature forces me out again," she said. "And next time, I probably won’t come this far."
As evacuees like Carr and Michael make their plans, many are faced with difficult financial decisions. With homes and businesses still without power, incomes have been disrupted, making it hard for evacuees to stay away for long.