An Amazon delivery driver in Florida has jokingly lambasted customers who ordered packages as Hurricane Ian approached the state this week.
Known as @abnormalpoet on TikTok, the Amazon delivery driver said “I hate ya’ll” as he delivered parcels to more than 170 customers in Florida on Wednesday.
“Y’all knew this hurricane was coming and you still order s****,” he said in a video from his Amazon delivery van. “I gotta go to 172 of y’all today.”
The video went viral on TikTok with more than 300,000 views since it was uploaded as Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida, with devastating consequences for coastal areas.
On TikTok, many users praised the Amazon delivery driver for working through wind and rain – and while many had evacuated their homes or boarded up businesses and properties.
“I’m sorry man! I purposely didn’t order anything b/c I didn’t want to out anyone in danger,” said one user in the comments.
“As someone that has a package out for delivery today, I am sorry!!! in my defense though, I ordered it days ago,” wrote another user.
The Amazon employee said in the comments to his video that because the hurricane did not directly his part of Florida, he was still working – albeit in difficult conditions.
He added that he “was just ranting” and that he forgave the 172 customers who had orders delivered on Wednesday.
“Not all heroes wear capes, well in this case raincoats. Stay strong my man,” wrote a third TikTok user.
Amazon closed some of its facilities in the state this week, which CNBC reported were expected to reopen after Friday. That was thought to include warehouses in Orlando and Tampa.
The company told Newseek that it closed 80 facilities that were in the direct path of the storm and that it had about 8,000 employees in Tampa, which did not feel the full force of the tropical storm.
“We’re closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Ian and making adjustments to our operations in order to keep our employees and those delivering for us safe,” an Amazon spokesperson Richard Rocha, was reported as saying.
The Independent has approached Amazon for comment.
Hurricane Ian has been described as possibly the deadliest storm to strike Florida as a recovery operation begins, with at least 20 deaths reported (but unconfirmed), a disaster declaration and millions still without power.
Ian came ashore in Lee County as a Category 4 hurricane with 155mph winds before being downgraded to a tropical storm over Central Florida and moving towards the Carolinas, where it is likely to hit on Friday as a hurricane once again. This time, as a Category 1 storm.
