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STORM DEATH TOLL RISES (Florida)
SkyNews ^ | August 14, 2004

Posted on 08/14/2004 5:50:53 AM PDT by traumer

The death toll is rising in Florida after a huge hurricane battered the state.

There have been three confirmed fatalities, and officials said there have been many more deaths at a mobile home park where deputies were standing guard over "stacks" of bodies.

President George W Bush has declared the state a disaster area.

The storm, which was much stronger than expected, ravaged coastal homes, trailer parks and businesses before moving inland to hit Orlando and Daytona Beach

The eye of the storm reached the mainland at Charlotte Harbor, much further south than predicted. When it reached land it battered the coast with winds reaching 145 mph and produced waves up to 15 feet high.

Wayne Sallade, Charlotte County's director of emergency management, said hundreds of people were still missing and many more had been left homeless.

He compared the devastation to 1992's Hurricane Andrew, which killed 43.

"It's Andrew all over again," he said. "We believe there's significant loss of life."

Sallade did not have an estimate on a specific number of fatalities. He said it may take days to get a final toll.

More than half a million people were left without electricity after power lines went down. The President's brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, said damage from Charley could exceed $15 billion.

The hurricane rapidly gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico after crossing Cuba and swinging around the Florida Keys as a more moderate storm on Friday morning.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: hurricanecharley

1 posted on 08/14/2004 5:50:53 AM PDT by traumer
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To: traumer

Just heard FNC reporter saying they are backing off the "stacked" bodies, but no actual confirmation of numbers.


2 posted on 08/14/2004 5:59:08 AM PDT by mtbopfuyn
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To: traumer
It must be a mess in the area the hurricane hit. I lived in Clearwater and Naples, Fla for 28 years and never went through a full hurricane. The near misses we did have were bad enough, wouldn't want to go through one like this one.
3 posted on 08/14/2004 6:14:17 AM PDT by depenzz
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To: mtbopfuyn
they are backing off the "stacked" bodies

I should hope so. Who would stack bodies? You'd have to have an awfully good reason for not laying them out in a dignified manner. "You've come to identify your mother? Hmm...I think there might have been an elderly woman in that pile over there. You'll have to dig a bit, she's near the bottom."

4 posted on 08/14/2004 6:16:03 AM PDT by Physicist
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To: traumer

Hearing a lot about Punta Gorda, what does the name mean? (No hablo espanol)


5 posted on 08/14/2004 6:22:06 AM PDT by eccentric (aka baldwidow)
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To: eccentric
"Hearing a lot about Punta Gorda, what does the name mean? (No hablo espanol)"

Nearest I can find is ...

Punta = Tip or Point ...

Gorda = Fat ...

Punta may also mean peak, or summit, however Punta Gorda, Florida is very flat, so I doubt either of those pertain.

6 posted on 08/14/2004 6:52:45 AM PDT by G.Mason (A war mongering, red white and blue, military industrial complex, Al Qaeda incinerating American.)
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To: Physicist

So what's the real deal... ?

"The federal government was sending a 25-member mortuary team to help process bodies "

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/hurricane/2004-08-13-charley_x.htm


7 posted on 08/14/2004 7:11:39 AM PDT by traumer
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To: traumer

I'm still wondering why there would have been people in trailer parks with this storm on the way.


8 posted on 08/14/2004 7:15:46 AM PDT by kenth
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To: kenth
I posted some thoughts on peoples failure to leave the trailers on #191 of this thread
9 posted on 08/14/2004 7:27:59 AM PDT by elfman2
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To: elfman2
Thanks for the report elfman. Just horrifying. I guess we don't need terrorists to do us harm and destruction.

At least with terrorist, we can "go after someone."

Glad you and your family are ok, elf.

10 posted on 08/14/2004 7:42:21 AM PDT by SheLion (The terrorist are here.......living among us. It's too late to close the borders.)
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To: SheLion
At least with terrorist, we can "go after someone."

Just wait until the lawyers and insurers get it in gear. They will be going after all kinds of people. :-(
11 posted on 08/14/2004 7:56:28 AM PDT by ARCADIA (Abuse of power comes as no surprise)
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To: ARCADIA

Did Marco Island go under water ?


12 posted on 08/14/2004 8:07:42 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: ARCADIA
Just wait until the lawyers and insurers get it in gear. They will be going after all kinds of people. :-(

They sure have a bad reputation, don't they! You would think they would straighten up since everyone is on to their "games."

13 posted on 08/14/2004 8:34:10 AM PDT by SheLion (The terrorist are here.......living among us. It's too late to close the borders.)
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To: SheLion

"Officials Fear 'Significant Loss of Life' in Florida"
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,128993,00.html


14 posted on 08/14/2004 9:01:42 AM PDT by traumer
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To: traumer

Thanks for the link, traumer!!


15 posted on 08/14/2004 9:19:28 AM PDT by SheLion (The terrorist are here.......living among us. It's too late to close the borders.)
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