I think that a lot of people look away from and run from strong possibilities of consequences now more than before. I was only a teen when Celia hit but do remember that most, if not all people who lived in trailers and brick-veneered houses around Corpus Christi evacuated before it hit. They did so, even though the hurricane was much weaker until just before it hit. Trailers and brick houses were leveled--the brick houses, because they were too rigid. Only the hurricane-resistant frame houses in my neighborhood (built in the '50s, IIRC) withstood it (with many of those losing roofs, even though the roofs were low-pitch tar and rock). There were rumors that most or all of the town of Taft (near Corpus Christi) was blown away.
During the roar of most of the storm, the walls on the house looked as though they were breathing--pulsating in and out. Water blew across the floor under the baseboards. The roar in the worst part of the storm was unbelievable. We screamed to be heard over it. Peeking out of the door under the carport on the downwind side of the house before the worst of the hurricane arrived, the street was barely visible through the horizontal rain. Car windows blew out. Cars moved. Objects blew down the street--parts of roofs, trees, etc.
Phones and electricity were out for quite a few days. ...can't remember, exactly, but a week or two, maybe? The National Guard guarded the City (looters), brought clean drinking water, dry ice for cooling food, military rations, and so forth. Some looters were shot by homeowners and store owners.
There were very few fatalities during/after Celia (most heart attacks and accidents after, IIRC). All of the imported trees (i.e., other than palms) on my block blew down the street. All windows were boarded tightly, but many blew out, anyway. The palms were bent to the ground after the storm. All of the backyard privacy fences were down. Being only 11 feet above sea level, we were lucky that it wasn't much of a flooding storm (as some lesser hurricanes had caused more flooding).
"During the roar of most of the storm, the walls on the house looked as though they were breathing--pulsating in and out."
That is exactly the phenomenon being described by musicman yesterday afternoon. Praying for him and his family and all the Floridians in the path of Charley.
I was in Tampa, FL in fall 1968 in a terrible hurricane..don't remember the name of it, I remember sweeping water through first floor and palm tree in front yard being ripped up by roots...I left shortly after Hurricane deciding I would never live in Florida again...I was only there four months...but I was in a brick building. That was enough for me.
I don't like having to pack up and evacuate....I don't live in Midwest because of tornadoes and twisters...but now we are getting those things here on rare occasions.
Prayers for those who lost family, homes, possessions. Hope everyone hears from relatives and friends today and Florida recuperates fast.
The hard part only lasts a few minutes, then it's all over.