Official: Charley's Death Toll to Climb [Stacks Of Bodies at Mobile Home Park]

Yahoo News ^ | 8/14/04 | ALLEN G. BREED,

[Vermonter]

OK. Here's my hurricane survival story.

Moved to Florida last fall from Vermont. Bought a home in rural Manatee County east of I75 on ten acres in a nice development with not many trees.

On hearing the initial storm warnings, we picked up all the outdoor furniture, hoses, cans, etc and put them away. Checked with neighbors and looked around the area, absolutely no one has hurricane shutters or was putting up plywood. So, felt comfortable doing the same.

We do have two sets of large sliding doors on the south side of the house, and tile floors. So, we moved the furniture from this part of the house to the bedrooms in case the windows broke, we might still save the furnishings.

Storm was initially predicted to hit land slightly north of us and about 25 miles west. That could have been worst case for us as the winds were stronger and coming at us from the south in that scenario.

Followed the storm's progress all day via local TV/radio and internet. Thing most lacking was a clear track we could use for the path of the storm. Plenty of info on who must evacuate, when and where to. In this county at least, handicapped, who were pre-registered would be picked up from their homes.

Shortly before storm made it's jog to the east, we lost power and started relying on radio only. Six area stations had pooled their personnel and were simulcasting on all six stations. They were taking phone calls from anyone and everyone and answering all kinds of stupid questions. Actual storm info was there, but not in very good detail.

We did finally learn, as the winds and rain started pounding us, that the storm had actually moved east of us and had almost passed us. It was hammering Arcadia at that point. We got winds of maybe 40 mph and a total rainfall for the day of less than 3 inches. Because the storm was east of us, the winds we got were from the north, and the sliders were not in jeopardy.

Power was restored mid morning today and ISP came back on line shortly after. Absolutely no damage here or even debris to pick up, but there will either be storm shutters or precut plywood ready to protect my windows before we have another storm.

We have a generator and a well, so that part is already taken of

Keep our fellow citizens to the east, south and north in mind. They were not as lucky as we were.

[nwctwx]

I posted this late last night, but for those who missed it...

Due to the still unknown circumstances of those areas hardest hit by Charley, it is difficult to fully reflect on this storm that is still ongoing. Early reporting is indicating that some areas in the vicinity of Punta Gorda in southwest Florida may have been completely destroyed by Charley's fierce winds and powerful surge. Total loses are already estimated to be $15-20 billion and will likely go much higher. When all is said and done, this storm may rival or surpass Andrew in property cost and loss of life. There are varied reports coming out of the hardest hit areas about casualties, but there are at least a few indications that there may be bery many.

Radar Image Depicting Wind Velocity before Landfall : Note the 165 KT Max

The white dot on the image above is Punta Gorda. Within the first set of lines, isolated wind speeds were likely sustained near 150mph. Because the eyewall was so small, the area of greatest impact will also be small. That said, towns within that eyewall are likely destroyed. If the fears are realized that many did not heed warnings, big problems were had somewhere along that path. We should expect horrific images from SW Florida come morning.

I'm no 'weather expert' but I felt it was painfully apparent what this storm might end up doing back on Wednesday. All things appeared quite conducive to create a system that was going to explode in intensity after passing Cuba. I felt that it should have been conveyed to the public that the storm was almost certain to hit somewhere along the Florida Gulf Coast due to the abnormal trough for this time of year. The media also should have informed people that the chances of a large storm were great because of the normal August bath-water SST's in that region.

I do not think the general public understands just how difficult it is to predict exactly where the strongest winds will be with a hurricane (especially one like Today's - with small eye walls). Once the evacuation orders were issued, people should have taken the warning very seriously. The fact of storm surge alone should have scared those who were near the water into leaving. I feel like the storm was largely ignored until it bombed out to a strong Category 4 this afternoon. People were laughing at the Category 2 just north of Cuba last night, they were not told that there was a great likelihood the storm would blossom as it did.

I think the NHC did a good job but speculated that the model consistency meant a hit in Tampa. Whenever I heard someone talk about the storm yesterday, they said it was going to Tampa. That was a mistake in my opinion, but the NHC continued to use strong wording (even through this morning) that it was headed for Tampa (this mornings doubly ominous statement from Tampa NWS did not help matters either). I suppose the language chosen was partly in order to get people convinced to leave the Bay area. If this had taken the original forecast track, we might be wondering why we had no news out of TPA yet.

Again, I am no expert, but I was able to deduce the following on Wednesday evening (in concert with the NWS):

---

"Charley is still a big question mark. A Florida hit appears likeliest at this point, but some things today are focusing my attention towards the FL Panhandle/Coastal Alabama area. So far, Charley has stayed further south than any computer models suggested. This will allow the storm to have less interaction with land, and it is quite possible that it will be a very strong storm (verging on Category 3/Major) once it gets into the Gulf of Mexico. The bigger the storm gets, the less it will be pulled along by the jet stream to the north. If it can gain enough steam to become a major hurricane, all bets are off. By late tomorrow evening, questions in regards to a Florida hit will be answered. This East Coast Trough (frontal system - jet stream buckle) is VERY strong for august and is actually much more typical once we get into Autumn in the US. If Charley does not manage to create it's own weather, he will certainly go right up the east coast after the initial hit somewhere in the eastern GOM.

This following image is a historical map of where storms have gone that have been in Charley's neighborhood. If western Florida does get hit, this will be a very unusual August storm system."

[Catholic Iowan]

Does anyone know what the situation on the ground is in Palm Coast? I have a friend from high school that recently moved there. It is on Florida's east coast maybe about 30 miles north of Daytona Beach. Prayers for all who are being affected by Hurricane Charlie.

[jpsb]

Bump, that sounds bad like a tornado.

Yesterday as I watched TV crews report "from the eye" of the huricane it didn't seem anywhere near that bad.

[summer]

Thanks for your posts. I am OK.

I did not get a direct hit by this storm, but, many others I know did. And, their damages were very severe.

I still do not have power and am not at home right now.

FL Gov Jeb Bush is somewhere in the area and I believe there will be National Guard here soon, and a curfew, from 7PM - 7AM. Most street lights are out, and many stores remain closed.

They are saying on the news that North Captiva Island was sliced into two by this storm, and there is a new waterway now between the two NEW islands, that did not exist before.

Our neighbors have been great and everyone is helping each other. The biggest problem remains the loss of electricity.

It's impossible to get through to Florida Power & Light (only a recording), but, you can speak to a live person at the national FEMA hotline -- for anyone who needs that number, it's: 1-800-621-FEMA.

Thanks again for thinking of me; everything will be OK, eventually.

[not_apathetic_anymore]

I wondered the same thing, he was standing by the rail at charlotte harbor, then went to ride out the storm in a newsvan. I last heard him reporting as the eye of the storm was passing over him and the storm was picking up again.

I assume he must have made it or we'd be hearing the newscasters talking about him.

[jpsb]

Yea I was watching him too, and wondering how he could stand up in 120+ winds. He is the reason I thought this storm was not a cat 4. No one can stand up and report from the eye wall of a cat 4 huricane.

[My Favorite Headache]

Thanks for asking...I'm doing good...still haven't heard from friends in Cape Coral and Ft.Myers yet though.

[Dog Gone]

It's great to hear from you! What a mess!

[tutstar]

Oh my gosh! That's a lot for a mobile home!

[Dog Gone]

Sat Aug 14, 2:18 PM ET
Upper Captiva Island is seen after Hurricane Charley cut a new channel through it, as the storm came ashore west of Fort Myers, in Florida, August 14, 2004. Across storm-struck southwest Florida, dazed residents emerged Saturday morning from damaged homes or returned from public shelters to find their lives turned inside out by Hurricane Charley, which struck Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and Fort Myers with ferocious 145 mph (233 kph) winds and a flooding 15-foot (4.5-meter) storm surge. Hurricane Charley battered multimillion-dollar houses on exclusive islands off southwest Florida, prompting an initial damage estimate of $3 billion in one county alone, an official said Saturday.

[tutstar]

Yes it would be but there are some people who own their mh and rent the lot.

[FITZ]

Still it seems renting a lot inland would be cheaper than renting coastal land.

If I get a mobile home, I would go back to the concept that mobile homes originally had --- and that is be mobile --- I envy those with RV's who just pack up and move when they don't like the weather they have or what is forecast. You could be on the coast of Florida one day --- see the hurricane forecasts --- and be in Tucson or somewhere else a day later.

[netpro]

Believe it. It's worse than that. We don't need the phone lines tied up right now with calls from the north. This is worse than Andrew.

[Dog Gone]

Sat Aug 14, 2:36 PM ET
Four mobile homes are seen in Port Charlotte, Florida after being destroyed by Hurricane Charley, August 14, 2004. Rescuers poured into southwest Florida on Saturday to search for victims and help shocked survivors of Hurricane Charley, a devastating storm that flattened homes and stores and left up to 1 million without power. (Pierre Ducharme/Reuters

[jpsb]

great pics. Bump.

[Dog Gone]

Sat Aug 14, 2:13 PM ET
Wrecked planes are seen alongside damaged hangars at Charlotte County Airport in Punta Gorda, in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, August 14, 2004. Across storm-struck southwest Florida, dazed residents emerged Saturday morning from damaged homes or returned from public shelters to find their lives turned inside out by Hurricane Charley, which struck Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and Fort Myers with ferocious 145 mph (233 kph) winds and a flooding 15-foot (4.5-meter) storm surge. Hurricane Charley battered multimillion-dollar houses on exclusive islands off southwest Florida, prompting an initial damage estimate of $3 billion in one county alone, an official said Saturday. REUTERS/Pierre Ducharme

[Howlin]

Is that your report?

[Dog Gone]

Sat Aug 14, 1:52 PM ET
A parked car is surrounded by the ruins of a house north of Port Charlotte, Fla., early Saturday, Aug. 14, 2004, after Hurricane Charley moved through the area Friday. (AP Photo/J.Pat Carter)

[Dog Gone]

Sat Aug 14, 1:46 PM ET
Mobile homes along a canal in Punta Gorda are seen after being devastated by Hurricane Charley, August 14, 2004. Across storm-struck southwest Florida, dazed residents emerged Saturday morning from damaged homes or returned from public shelters to find their lives turned inside out by Hurricane Charley, which struck Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and Fort Myers with ferocious 145 mph (233 kph) winds and a flooding 15-foot (4.5-meter) storm surge. Hurricane Charley battered multimillion-dollar houses on exclusive islands off southwest Florida, prompting an initial damage estimate of $3 billion in one county alone, an official said Saturday. REUTERS/Pierre Ducharme