Officials in Manatee County began the recovery process Friday morning after Hurricane Helene slammed through the area as a major Category 4 storm. Damage and flooding have been reported throughout the Bradenton area, including severe flooding on Anna Maria Island, Cortez and along the Manatee River.

After three days of closures, Sarasota County public schools have been cleared to open Monday. Manatee County has also planned a Monday reopening.

BRADENTON BEACH, Fla. - On Saturday, Governor Ron DeSantis visited Bradenton Beach, one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Helene. Residents were allowed back to some parts of Anna Maria Island like Holmes Beach on Saturday, but still places like Bradenton Beach were not accessible because many of the roads were impassible.

Two of Detwiler’s six stores in the Sarasota-Manatee county area are closed after Helene’s havoc. They are the West Bradenton unit, 3500 53rd Ave. W., and the University Park store, 6100 N Lockwood Ridge Rd.

Hurricane Helene, now with winds at 125 mph, has sent rain, wind and storm surge into Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Sarasota and Manatee counties waste management plays catch-up on debris and trash disposal. Here's what to expect.

Hurricane Helene may have passed, but Sarasota and Manatee counties are still suffering from damage and flooding due to the storm.