More than 1,000 people are missing a week after Hurricane Michael

Hector Retamal | AFP | Getty Images

A rescue team helped by a trained dog is looking for victims in Mexico Beach, Florida, following Hurricane Michael on October 15, 2018.

Michael hit the northwest coast of Florida last Wednesday with sustained winds of 250 km / h (155 km / h), triggering a wave of seawater that demolished houses.

Since then, about 35,000 Floridians have called the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ask for help. This agency has already approved a million dollar help to help the residents of these 12 counties, said Ruben Brown spokesman Tallahassee.

FEMA has distributed approximately 4.5 million meals, more than 5 million liters of water and 9 million kits for infants and toddlers, he said.

In Mexico Beach, which was hit directly, the number of missing people fell to three on Tuesday, said Rex Putnal, city councilor. A day earlier, there were more than 30. The city of 1,200 residents had reported two deaths as of Monday.

Nearly 163,000 households and businesses remained without power in the southeastern United States, as residents of battered coastal cities were forced to cook on fires and barbecues.

At least 80 percent of the customers in three predominantly Panhandle rural counties were without electricity Tuesday. Officials said it could be weeks before the power comes back to some people.

Countless other people from the hinterland of the region have struggled for days without running water or sanitation, while waiting for help from the authorities. Some camp in tents with personal belongings that they could recover.

The state government distributes ice, water and about 3 million ready-to-eat meals, Governor Rick Scott's office announced.

Marchetti said the research was hampered by irregular telephone coverage in the devastated area, although the authorities are making progress in restoring communications.

Many residents also expressed their frustration with the slow recovery of wireless networks. The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai, on Tuesday called on mobile operators to waive the bills of customers affected by the storm.