by Donald Wood
Last updated: 1:28 PM ET, Wed September 13, 2017
Following the path of destruction left behind by Hurricane Irma, officials in the Florida Keys announced the area is closed.
Residents and business owners started to return to the Keys Tuesday, but officials are asking tourists to avoid any plans for vacations in the island chain until infrastructure evaluations and restoration efforts are handled and authorities give the all-clear to return.
While some areas were hit harder than others, Key West city officials already announced it expects to reopen to the public before the start of the Fantasy Fest, an annual costume festival set to start October 20.
Commercial service to Key West International Airport are suspended until electricity and water can be restored. Additionally, flights to and from Florida Keys Marathon International Airport are also suspended until further notice.
[READMORE]READ MORE: USVI Can't Afford to be Forgotten Post-Irma[/READMORE]
The belief is that most tourism facilities will return to full operation soon after the restoration of power, water and communications.
All travelers who had plans to visit the region in the coming weeks should contact their airlines and hotels.
In addition, the Florida Department of Transportation inspected all spans on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway and deemed them safe. Though several areas have to be repaired due to the storm, they should be completed by Thursday.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
