Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced executive actions aimed at speeding up Hurricane Helene recovery efforts during a visit to Anna Maria Island.

Residents and business owners of Holmes Beach and the City of Anna Maria are allowed back onto the island, the Holmes Beach Police Department announced Saturday.

Anna Maria Island was among the areas hit hard by Hurricane Helene. The small island was underwater, with 100% of single family homes seeing 3-4 feet of floodwaters.

We spoke to business owners and residents from the barrier islands to hear what they had to say about the effects of the hurricane's historic storm surge, the aftermath and what's next.

Part of Helene’s fallout is sand dispersed along roadways and homes on Anna Maria Island. Beach access remains closed and curfews are in place from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. in Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach.

Anna Maria Island took the brunt of the damage in Manatee County, and NewsNation affiliate WFLA got a look at the damage on Holmes Beach with a ride along with Holmes Beach Chief of Police. Driving through Holmes Beach,

Anna Maria Island remains under a curfew with access limited to residents, business owners and first responders. Hurricane Helene ravaged Manatee County’s barrier island as it twisted through the Gulf of Mexico last Thursday before it made direct landfall near Perry in Florida’s Big Bend region.