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- Florida gas stations are running out of fuel ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall.
- If the storm damages Port Tampa Bay, it could mean long-term trouble for the gas supply chain.
- A supply chain expert told BI government assistance may be required now to avoid catastrophe.
A day before Hurricane Milton was expected to make landfall, gas stations in Florida were already running out of fuel.
As of 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday, more than 1 out of 5 gas stations in Florida had no gas, according to data from GasBuddy , which tracks gas prices.
The shortage comes as millions of people try to flee Florida in anticipation of Milton, leading to long lines at gas stations and traffic jams. The hurricane is expected to hit Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday or Thursday and pass through the state’s central area, including Tampa Bay and Orlando.
Shon Hiatt, director of the Business of Energy Transition Initiative at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School, told Business Insider that gas is distributed to Central Florida through the port of Tampa — and having just one major source of fuel complicates efforts to get gas to people who need it.