In this aerial photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, repairs to a dock at Robbie’s Marina washed away by Hurricane Irma are well underway Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017, in Islamorada, Fla. Workers around the 125-mile island chain are working to repair damage caused by the tropical cyclone. Photo: Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau via AP.
KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Florida Keys officials say the island chain hit hard by Hurricane Irma will reopen to tourists Oct. 1.
Officials made their announcement Monday, more than two weeks after the Category 4 storm made landfall on the chain of islands. The storm destroyed an estimated 25 percent of homes on the islands.
Florida Keys officials asked visitors to postpone their trips after the storm damaged power and water supplies. Florida Keys spokesman Andy Newman said power and water service is now restored to customers that can receive them and a boil water notice has been lifted.
The Key West and Marathon airports have reopened, but debris removal continues and some hotels and tourist facilities are still recovering.
Key West did have its first cruise ship return to the island on Sunday.
