Posted on 08/13/2004 10:08:09 AM PDT by Jeff400000
100 hurt when roof was torn off a nursing home. Wales???
Has anyone heard anything about Boca Grande? I know the bridge is closed, I would imagine the damage on the island was pretty bad.
Charlotte Co. airport. Buidling collapsed with evacuees inside. Aircraft destroyed. One plane was anchored at both wings. All that was left of the plane were the wings. The body of the plane was missing.
Lake Wales (50 miles east of Tampa) - 100 hurt
For about the last hour reports of deaths, even substantial numbers of deaths, have been coming in. Just to be charitable, I'll assume you hadn't known that. And, now that you do, I'll also assume you will change your tone ASAP. Thanks.
What the heck do some people think a Hurricane WARNING means? They were under warning, any idiot knows that hurricanes are unpredicable. I'm sorry for the destruction, injuries, and death, but people have no one to blame for themselves, not the gov't that issued the evac orders and warnings. Yeah, I think the weather service dropped the ball on this a bit, not emphasizing enough the possibility of rapid intensification and unpredictable movement, but still.
Some storage facility housed a boat and a Mercedes. The building was destroyed. Some guy told the reporter that he lost his house, his car and his business.
I'm only aware thus far of 2 verified deaths, both in Punta Grande IIRC...
The 165 KT wind speed, on a normal day, would translate to 150-160mph winds winds.
Within the inner lines there was likely Category 4 to Category 5 wind. Hurricane Andrew showed us that these wind speeds will rip homes from their foundations. These types of winds will level whole towns. Punta Gorda is centered on that white dot within the inner most lines. It was in the middle of the strongest part of the eyewall of the storm, if anyone saw 160mph winds, that's the spot. The outer lines indicate areas affected by the outer eyewall. They all likely saw gusts to 100mph+.
I fear there is unthinkable devestation within the most affected region. I don't know if I want to go too much further into what may have happened right now.
Thanks.
I live in MB and I'm getting my Dad early in the am and we're outta here.....
Punta Gorda, possible deaths in a mobile home park there.
You can still find the reports from the News-Press about how the Lee County residents on the barrier islands were still trying to decide whether or not to obey the mandatory evacuations yesterday.
Anyone who lives on the coast *ought to know* these projections are not an exact science.
Sorry for the late reply. My son wanted the computer for a while. I'm in the South Gate area and east of 41. We (thankfully) didn't get much from this hurricane. We used to fish quite a bit in Charlotte Harbor 8-10 years ago. I'm really afraid of what kind of damage there is south of us.
I had checked the weather pages just before noon, and they were expecting it to strengthen, but not THAT much!
Thanks for the update.
I'm hoping for the best.
Your Tax dollars will end up rebuilding those homes in the same spot, most likely, too.
Is there a link where we can listen??
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