Andrew diddn’t hit Miami Beach, it hit Cutler Bay, which is south of the high rises you mentioned. It leveled Cutler Bay, even flattening cinder block homes and throwing vehicles.
When Wilma hit Pompano Beach, traveling across the state from the southwest, it intensified over land. One condo, two blocks from the beach, is comprised of two towers, about 35 stories each and spaced about 30 yards apart. The winds ripped between them creating a cyclone type vortex, which blew put all the windows and sucking furnishings out of the units. Both towers were determined to be uninhabitable. It took many years to recover and the special assessment to each owner caused many foreclosures and resales were very slow. For most owners it was a total loss
So i missed by a few miles.
My father-in-law lived in a high rise on Biscayne Blvd. He evacuated inland to a friend’s house near the Miami zoo. The friends house had nothing left standing but the bathroom they were sheltering in. The FIL’s condo on the 17th floor didn’t even have water damage.
EC
My brother lived at 208 st. and Cutler road. Had to rescue him and family on Monday morning. He was out of his house 15 months and we had friends assisting on the rebuild.