Posted on 08/14/2004 12:41:23 PM PDT by Puntagorda
Here's a ground zero report from the Hurricane . . . from my observations as one who lives in the area that was hit.
Charley made a direct hit on Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte Florida.
These two cities sit at the mouth of Charlotte Harbor, and are separated by bridges that cross the Peace river which flows into the Gulf.
Neither city had been hit or threatened by a Hurricane in more than 75 years.
Hurricane Charley which was expected to hit Tampa, 120 miles north, unexpectantly veered into Charlotte Harbor, and followed the Peace River inland.
When Charley hit Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda it packed winds of 145 mph.
The downtown areas of both cities have been heavily damaged, with almost all businesses either being heavily damaged or destroyed. The closer the buildings were to the Peace River, the more the destruction.
Both hospitals heavily damaged. Seven Fire Stations heavily damaged. The Punta Gorda police station was destoyed. The Punta Gorda city hall was destroyed. Punta Gorda historic district was destroyed.
Almost every home in Punta Gorda Isles was heavily damaged (an upscale canal community on Charlotte Harbor).
Most mobile home communities were destroyed.
All radio stations off the air - towers down. The airport was destroyed (a small airport with no scheduled flights).
Thousands (maybe tens of thousands) of homes damaged - hundreds (maybe thousands) were totally destroyed.
Rescue workers are doing a door to door search to find the wounded.
Because local communication is down, including cell phone, no accurate numbers are available of who might be missing, or hurt, or who might be in rescue shelters, so door to door searches through the ruble are being conducted.
The lack of phone service, radio reporting, TV news, is causing major problems. And the downed trees and debris blocking roads, makes it difficult to move into the damaged areas - which include the main artery through town - Hiway 41 (also know as the Tamiami Trail).
Most local residents feared the storm surge most . . . the rising water. This is to expected since so many people live on canal front property.
But there was no storm surge. Charlotte Harbor averages 12 feet deep, so not much water in there in the first place. . . and much of it was blown out by the storm.
Almost all the damage was from the 145 mph winds.
The damaged area appears to be in a path about 15 miles wide - 30 miles long following the Peace river from Port Charlotte to Arcadia (30 miles inland).
The barrier Island communities of Sanibel, and Boca Grande suffered major damage.
Communities on the north side of the storm path were basically unaffected (other than the shock value of having a hurricane hit this area - first time in 75 years.)
Only minor damage to cities to the south - Fort Myers suffered some wind damage.
It will take years to rebuild Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda.
Many residents will discover that to rebuild to the now mandated Hurricane Building codes will cost much more than the insured value of their homes.
No one here expected the hurricane to hit, the forecasters kept telling us it was going to hit 120 miles north.
We were stunned when Charley was upgraded from a low category II to a dangerous category IV just hours before it hit.
Again this was the first time in 75 years that a Hurricane had even come close to this area. And many of the buildings built in the 60's and 70's simply could not stand the wind load.
FYI: Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda are (were?) ranked in the top ten fastest appreciating real estate markets in the US.
PuntaGorda
And that moron on Fox with the British accent telling us how this is going to destroy the economy in Florida, how it's going to make the economic numbers for the 3rd quarter dive, thus hurting Bush.
The fact of the matter is that a hurricane like this actually helps the economy.
Money is going to pour in and be spent.
Hate to say it, but Andrew jumpstarted a horrible Dade County economy in 1992.
Heck no! :-)
The first set of winds (tropical storm strength?) wasn't good at all and that was when the transformers started to explode. Why would anyone want to be in the middle of that?
They showed footage today of a house burning _during_ the storm, when power lines came down on it. The fire crew couldn't put out the fire, since the storm blew the water back at them (I'm guessing they couldn't get upwind due to the lines).
Also, if you think it's just a cat 1 and can stick it out, what do you do if it strengthens at the last minute? Do you want to be caught in your car driving away from it?
No thanks!
Just that the bridge was intact and there was wind damage. I'm expecting another call tonight but as you can expect the lines are jammed.
It was good for me. I'm betting I would have been one of those idiots stick out the storm in the future, if I hadn't been through this. I'll just try to plan the evacuation route a little better next time. :-)
note the time I posted this:
To: Izzy Dunne
looks headed to Ft Myers
In the last frames it turns decidly NE
4 posted on 08/13/2004 1:13:33 PM EDT by eyespysomething ("Funding the American troops in combat should never be a complicated issue." D. Cheney 8-12-04)
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Check out the pics on these 2 sites:
Seeing what Hugo did is what propels me to evacuate. Although I've considered building a safe room for Cat1 & Cat2 storms...
And now FOX is sensationalizing the next storm.
"There is a storm forming in the carribean and it's on the same exact track as Charley was on!"
Any idiot who has followed hurricanes knows it is IMPOSSIBLE to predict an exact path outside of a few hours.
A hurricane in the south Carribean can feasibly hit anywhere from Panama to Miami, and northwards.
No. 36; my nominee for tackiest post of the day.
Insanity. The "Scott Petersonization" of acts of God.
Exactly!
Not only do we need our own talk show, we need our own weather channel!
Good advice to everybody!
I pointed out to her today that we've had 3 hurricanes this year -- and all three of them hit North Carolina! (Not in any way, shape, or form like they hit Florida!)
So glad you are safe.
My great aunt lives on Belaire Ct. in Punta Gorda. I haven't heard from any relatives on her status. She is in her 80's. Do you know anything about that part of town? Thanks.
I've seen two threads now that were invaded by these zealots. The implication that the danger of my family, and the deaths and misery of thousands of innocent people, is somehow not all that bad since an abortion clinic MIGHT have been destroyed too, is absolutely disgusting.
These people need to get lives, NOW!
Thanks...my sister is flying there tomorrow to see what's left of their home....by this article, it looks like it may still be there.
My nephew called in this morning. He says most of the older folks by themselves were helped by neighbors or taken to shelters. A lot of those in trouble argued to stay put. Call the Red Cross Info line to see if she is in a shelter. 866-438-4636 . Keep praying.
We'be been regaled all day and night (last night) with malcontents who either blamed the weather people, didn't think the storm was such a big deal, or had their own agenda to tie to it.
Ridiculous people in times such as these.
LOL!
Thank you very much for the info.
Will she be able to get on the island then, or will she have to wait a few days?
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