Slow progress in Florida beach town after Hurricane Michael

Officials in a Florida Panhandle beach town devastated by Hurricane Michael say rebuilding is a slow process.

The hurricane made landfall Oct. 10 near Mexico Beach with 155 mph (250 kph) winds and a strong storm surge.

Some local businesses have reopened. But Mayor Al Cathey tells The News Herald that two months after the storm, just 500 out of the town’s 2,700 dwellings are habitable.

The mayor says 10 condominium buildings survived the storm but need major repairs to roofs, pipes and other essential components before people can move back in. He says it might be May before those condos are habitable again.

The city has put a moratorium on new construction projects while officials assess building codes and other regulations.