NEWS / Hurricanes Helene and Milton result in delays in processing vital records, certified copies of corporate and court documents, as well as apostilles and authentication certificates

The double whammy of two powerful and destructive Hurricanes—Helene and Milton—has resulted in considerable delays in processing times for a variety of documents ranging from vital records to certified copies of corporate and court documents. The delays are attributed to closures of government offices and issues with shipping.

Hurricane Helene, which made landfall as a category 4 hurricane on September 26 near the City of Perry, Florida, about 60 miles southeast of the state capital, Tallahassee, caused massive storm surge flooding along the west coast of the State of Florida, particularly in beach towns, such as Anna Maria Island, St. Pete Beach, Madeira Beach, Clearwater Beach (a neighborhood of the City of Clearwater), Cedar Key, and Steinhatchee. With closures affecting the Tallahassee area, processing times for any official documents originating in Florida, such as Florida vital records and certified copies of certificates of incorporation, were affected. Our Clearwater home office experienced a brief power outage but was otherwise undamaged, as it is located near downtown Clearwater, which is further inland compared to Clearwater Beach.

Having made landfall in Florida, Helene continued on its destructive path via the States of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, before dissipating over Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. It caused severe rainfall flooding along its path, particularly in Atlanta and Asheville, where it also triggered severe mudslides that destroyed multiple buildings and roads. In total, Helene killed over 250 people and caused almost $40 billion in damages, making it the 8th costliest hurricane in US history.

Having breathed a sigh of relief, we could not believe our eyes when less than 2 weeks later a new hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico appeared to pose a direct threat to the Tampa Bay area. This new hurricane, called Milton, quickly intensified to a category 5 storm and appeared set on a direct path to slam the area. As a result of the danger posed by the hurricane, we made the decision to evacuate our Clearwater office, making sure to preserve all the important documents of our customers. Evacuation was further complicated by the mass panic that caused fuel shortages and severe traffic jams.

Hurricane Milton eventually made landfall as a category 3 hurricane on October 9 in Siesta Key (Sarasota County), about 60 miles south of Tampa. It caused severe storm surge flooding around Siesta Key and south of it—in the Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, and Naples metro areas. To the north of the hurricane—in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, New Port Richey, and Zephyrhills, damage was primarily caused by severe winds and record-setting rainfall.

The hurricane continued making its way northeast via Lakeland and Orlando before leaving Florida as a category 1 hurricane near Daytona Beach on the Atlantic Coast, where some moderate storm surge flooding also occurred. Hurricane Milton’s death toll is currently estimated at 27, while its total cost is estimated to be about $30 billion, making it the 10th costliest hurricane in US history.

Things are slowly going back to normal for our Clearwater office this week, and processing times for most documents originating in Florida should also be easier to estimate. There is still an issue with fuel shortages at Tampa Bay area gas station, but this is expected to be resolved in the next few days.