UPDATE: Jeb has ordered 200 National Guardsmen down to Charlotte County; they'll be there in the morning.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY — Hurricane Charley cut a wide path of destruction across both shores of Charlotte Harbor Friday, flattening houses and businesses like a wrecking ball and throwing others into the sea.
Charley’s unexpected 145 mph winds destroyed entire neighborhoods on both sides of the Peace River. It threw emergency officials into chaos, forcing them to evacuate their own command center.
Up to 50 people brought to Charlotte Regional Medical Center with injuries, according to hospital CEO. Injured were being airlifted to area hospitals because Charlotte hospitals sustained heavy damage.
Authorities had no confirmed counts of wounded. They had only begun to tally the damage on Friday night. Cell phones were virtually useless.
Do you have reporters trying to get anywhere?