Are the Walmarts in Florida Open After Hurricane Ian?
Across the state of Florida, retailers prepared for the worst from Hurricane Ian. According to The New York Times, Hurricane Ian was one of the strongest storms ever to hit Florida, and retailers — including Walmart — announced temporary closures to ensure the safety of employees and customers.
See: 7 Walmart Brand Items That Are Just as Good as Name Brands
Discover: 10 Items That Are Always Cheaper at Sam’s Club
The retailer has closed more than 240 Sam’s Club and Walmart stores, according to an updated map on its website. Walmart says that this map will continue to update to give users the most up-to-date information available.
“Walmart’s Emergency Operations Center is monitoring Hurricane Ian in real-time, assessing the status of our facilities in the path of the storm,” the company said Wednesday on a Hurricane Ian facility status page.
Villages-News.com reported that ahead of the anticipated arrival of Hurricane Ian, store personnel placed palettes in front of the Sarasota Walmart entrances and shrink-wrapped the fuel pumps at the gas station to show that operations had been shut down. While Walmart did not announce when stores would be reopening, the company did say that it will “continue operating as long as it is safe to do so.”
“Regarding the loss of power and reopening after the storm’s passing, we’re actively taking steps now to give us the best opportunity to resume operations once it’s safe to do so,” Walmart Director of Corporate Communication Charles Crowson said, as reported by the Miami Herald.
Live Richer Podcast: First-Time Homebuying During Inflation — Is It Worth It?
Find: Here’s How Much Cash You Need Stashed If a National Emergency Happens
Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on Wednesday afternoon. NBC News reported that the National Hurricane Center warned residents of “life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds and flooding in the Florida Peninsula,” with millions under evacuation orders.
More From GOBankingRates
Here's How Much Cash You Need Stashed If a National Emergency Happens
Looking To Diversify in a Bear Market? Consider These Alternative Investments
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Are the Walmarts in Florida Open After Hurricane Ian?
