The fine, white sand helps make Florida’s beaches among the best in the world. But the powerful storms have turned the precious commodity into a costly nuisance, with sand creating literal barriers to recovery as homeowners and municipalities dig their way out.

Hurricane Milton tore through Florida last week, causing as much as $55 billion in property damage throughout the Sunshine State, according to the latest analyst estimates. Hitting just two weeks after Hurricane Helene,

"Alligators may be observed more frequently in flooded areas after a hurricane or tropical storm," the Florida FWC warns.