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The major problem is, it sounds like a lot of people down there did not evacuate. If the core of winds hit an area with a lot of people milling around... a lot of those people are no more.

Lots of prayers going to that area of FL.

Knowing my Uncle, he would be one who wouldn't evacuate under any condition. He has a pretty bad heart condition too. God be with them all. All we can do at this point is pray I guess. I'm not usually much of a praying person but I sure am tonight.

MKM

Here were the evac orders:

http://www.charlottecountyfl.com/Emergency/bulletins.asp

Date: Thursday, August 12, 2004 Time: 4:19:31 PM
Mandatory Evacuation of Barrier Islands
CHARLOTTE COUNTY SCHOOLS TO CLOSE FRIDAY. MANDATORY EVACUATION OF BARRIER ISLANDS, RV PARKS, AND MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY ORDERED AT 3 P.M. TODAY.

Date: Thursday, August 12, 2004 Time: 8:12:01 PM
Low Lying Areas Strongly Urged to Evacuate
Residents in the following areas are strongly urged to consider evacuating their homes by daylight Friday in advance of Hurricane Charley. The strengthening storm is now forecast to produce a storm surge of up to 10 feet above normal tide levels. Those areas of Charlotte County below 8 foot elevation and subject to the worst flooding threat include: EAST PUNTA GORDA AND SOLONA DOWNTOWN PUNTA GORDA PUNTA GORDA’S HISTORIC DISTRICT RIVERSIDE DRIVE, PUNTA GORDA THE EDGEWATER CORRIDOR, PORT CHARLOTTE BAYSHORE ROAD, MELBOURNE STREET & HARBORVIEW ROAD, CHARLOTTE HARBOR BURNT STORE ROAD, PUNTA GORDA PIRATE HARBOR, PUNTA GORDA EL JOBEAN AND THE CAPE HAZE AREA IN WESTERN CHARLOTTE COUNTY Evacuation is MANDATORY for Charlotte County’s barrier islands and for anyone in an RV or mobile home.

The major problem is, it sounds like a lot of people down there did not evacuate. If the core of winds hit an area with a lot of people milling around... a lot of those people are no more.

OK enough, it is time to quit overspeculating and scaring people who have relatives down there. You have no more a clue than I or anyone else here what the real damage and casualties are, we just won't know much until morning. I saw the initial TV shots from Punta Gorda before night fell, and while there was some major damage, there were also plenty of intact structures visible when they were first showing their wide shots before they started staying with just the most dramatic damage shots. Also plenty of trees standing, which you did NOT see much of in the areas hardest hit in Andrew. Pretty much all the major damage reports heard from so far are along a relatively narrow line of where the eye moved up: barrier isles, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Arcadia, Hardee Co., Lake Wales, Kissimmee.