MEXICO BEACH, Fla. – Mexico Beach, Florida, is considered ground zero.
It's where Hurricane Michael first roared ashore. Images from the air show the damage the strong Category 4 storm created. The small town in the Florida Panhandle was rearranged. Some concrete foundations were left without homes. The storm threw boats around like toys in a bathtub.
To the west, it was clean-up day in Panama City Beach and Panama City. The storm knocked over a billboard. It acted like an ax cutting a shop in half. With power out in many places, few stores were open. That left long lines at the stores that were open.
VIDEO: Aerial video of damage from Hurricane Michael at Mexico Beach
"By the good luck and the grace of the spirit of North Floridians, this young man over here opened up. (He was) able to get essentials,” said resident Richard Johnson.
Johnson grew up in the Clear Lake area, then moved east. He will add Michael to his growing list of dangerous storms.
"I used to live in Louisiana and we got Katrina. So I came down here and low and behold, two times a charm, I guess. Let's not hope for the third time," Johnson said.
After seeing some of the damage left behind along the coast, some are thankful that it was not worse in places like Panama City Beach.
"Very thankful. Especially that we were on the west side of it instead of the east. It went farther east than they expected. So it was a lot less damage. Thank God," visitor Devonna Coleman said.