FLORIDA-Six people are dead and 6 million are without power in the southern regions of Florida following a direct hit by Hurricane Wilma.
The storm hit early Monday as a Category 3 storm with winds of 125 miles per hour. After stalling over Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula for nearly two days, Wilma raced across Florida in just over seven hours, causing an estimated 6-9 billion dollars in damage.
Power loss is the biggest concern in the region. Although there are an estimated 6,000 workers repairing the lines, Florida Light and Power estimates that it could take up to a month to restore power in all areas.
Power losses led to a curfew being imposed in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, mainly due to the loss of traffic lights. Miami-Dade airport was also closed.
In addition to the troubles of going without power, residents are facing difficulties with finding food, fuel and hot water and are being advised to boil their tap water before use.
For many Floridians, the power of Wilma was far worse than they had anticipated. As 71-year old Broward County resident Paul Kramer told CNN, “This one got our attention. We’ve lived here 37 years and never had a hurricane like this.”
Key West was one of the areas hit hardest by the storm. Wilma traveled across the area in two hours, bringing winds of 120 miles per hour. Many were taken by surprise by the storm’s intensity, as only ten percent of the area’s residents obeyed a mandatory evacuation order.
By late Monday morning, most of the island was under 3-5 feet of water and 60 percent of homes were flooded. The island’s only highway to the mainland, US Route 1, was also flooded out.
Luckily, by early Tuesday, most of the flood waters had receded and residents were able to begin cleanup. Many island residents rely on the tourist trade and were eager to get things back to normal.
Although memories of the chaos in the days following Hurricane Katrina cause concern for many citizens, both Miami-Dade Emergency Management Spokesman Louie Fernandez and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle stated that they are getting enough help from federal emergency offices.
Prior to hitting Florida, Wilma ravaged Mexico, causing 4 deaths and ravaging resorts in the Cancun area, which generates half of Mexico’s $11 billion foreign tourism revenue. Widespread looting was reported in the area and as of Tuesday, 30,000 tourists remained stranded.
Wilma was the 21st named storm of the 2005 season and the last name on the 2005 list. Storms will now be named using the Greek alphabet, as the hurricane season does not end until November 30th.