NEWS: Category 4 Storm Hurricane Charley Makes Landfall, Massive Damage and Casualty Reports

Here is a look at the path of destruction from Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie:
JAMAICA: One killed. Flooding leaves some roads impassable and submerges crops in the southern agricultural region.

CUBA: Three killed. At least 41 buildings in Old Havana collapse overnight amid heavy rain. Roofs are ripped apart, power lines downed and huge palm trees yanked up.

NORTH CAROLINA: Three killed. Tornadoes destroy homes and knock out power.

FLORIDA: Three killed. Oceanfront homes and trailer parks are ravaged, small planes are tore apart, and the coast is inundated with a surge of sea water 13 feet to 15 feet tall. More than a million utility customers lose power.

Tropical Weather Damage, by State and Country

Hundreds Missing!

FOX news channel is reporting that 100's are missing in Punta Gorda and that there are stacks of bodies in a trailer park in the area.

This is something that is easily taken for granted here in the US. One just assumes that there will be no loss of life or perhaps the stray person here or there killed by a falling tree. A significant loss of life hasn't been in our vocabulary in quite some time.

On the issue of the hundreds missing. How can you tell when so many people evacuated? It will be interesting to see what develops over the next few days.

Originally posted by Indy
On the issue of the hundreds missing. How can you tell when so many people evacuated? It will be interesting to see what develops over the next few days.

I was thinking that same thing. There are probally many relatives that can't get in touch with other relatives and hence the missing person reports but again FOX news is reporting that the police are guarding stacks of bodies. Why they would be stacked puzzles me.

Could it be that Al Quaida is able to make Category 4 Storm Hurricanes? I wonder if they can also direct large asteroids towards earth...

hosted.ap.org...

By MARK LONG
Associated Press Writer


PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (AP) -- The death toll from Hurricane Charley rose early Saturday, when a county official said there had a been "significant loss of life" at a mobile home park, but deputies said the area was inaccessible to ambulances.

Wayne Sallade, Charlotte County's director of emergency management, said early Saturday that there were "a number of fatalities" at the mobile home park, and that there were confirmed deaths in at least three other areas in the county

The eye of the worst hurricane to hit Florida in a dozen years passed directly over Punta Gorda, a town of 15,000 which took a devastating hit Friday.

A slightly weaker Charley bore down on the South Carolina coast early Saturday, and the center was expected to approach the coast by morning.

In Florida, hundreds of people were missing in Charlotte and thousands were left homeless, Sallade said. He compared the devastation with 1992's Hurricane Andrew, which the National Hurricane Center directly blamed for the deaths of 26 people, most in South Florida.

"It's Andrew all over again," he said. "We believe there's significant loss of life."

Sallade did not have an estimate on a specific number of fatalities. He said it may take days to get a final toll. Charlotte County officials were working to determine the number of fatalities early Saturday but no figures were immediately available from the emergency management office, the sheriff's department or the medical examiner's office.

nerdling u r great, u gave me more news then the weather channel did, thx u get my vote!!!

Originally posted by orionthehunter
This weekend has turned out to be a very bad beach weekend at Myrtle Beach. I just recently heard they are having mandatory evacuations there. Traffic is congested I heard on the news. I definitely wouldn't want to be in a traffic jam during the middle of the night. I used to live near there and saw many hurricanes pass by. My feeling on this one is only minimal damage to South Carolina. There could be a tornado or two which would do the bulk of the damage I believe except possibly for some flying debris.

Otherwise, I say it's a bad beach day at Myrtle Beach tonight. Let's all say bye bye Charley. Danielle is another name that means something to me. I wonder if my name can be reached this year. I believe we only need about 12 or 13 more. With less than 1 hour left today, I discovered today is Friday the 13th. I must be too busy nowadays to even notice if it's a lucky or unlucky day. Hope you guys in Florida are doing ok.

Edited note: I heard they opened up both sides of the normally congested highway 501 to leave Myrtle Beach until 6AM. It took until 8:30 PM today to close that side off to the East bound traffic.

[edit on 13-8-2004 by orionthehunter]

I have a place in myrtle i was sposed to be in this weekend but decided not to go. THere was a mandatory evacuation in myrlte beach last night. Myrtle beach is the next place this storm is sposed to make landfall. In Myrtle they closed down all major highways into myrtle and made all 4 lanes on 3 major highways one way out.

Im bout two hours north now in NC and i have some picture of our local wal-mart 3 hr. b4 its sposed to hit here.

NO WATER!!


Near panic has set in.


It is clear in hurricane conditions and warnings how the media effects people and send them into a state of panic.

Umm, so what is so 'Above top secret' about a Flordia Hurricane? What exactly is the conspiracy???

Originally posted by sugeshotcha
Umm, so what is so 'Above top secret' about a Flordia Hurricane? What exactly is the conspiracy???

Excuse me? You've been here since January of this year, which coincides with the first days of ATSNN, and your asking an asinine question like this 7 months later?

yikes, sorry if im not typing propely im a little drunk

but i hope my grandparents are alright they live in Citrus county and i just flew back to Australia from there 3 weeks ago :/

anybody know about damage in Citrus County?

Originally posted by Youngin
yikes, sorry if im not typing propely im a little drunk

but i hope my grandparents are alright they live in Citrus county and i just flew back to Australia from there 3 weeks ago :/

anybody know about damage in Citrus County?

You may wish to try here...

www.bocc.citrus.fl.us...

I don't think theres any real damage there, but i'm unsure where it is really. When you're a little more sober you should maybe call the local administration and ask if theres been any major damage.

Let us consider the massive infrastructure that has been and will be brought to bear as a result of these storms. From NWS and NOAA to FEMA to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army to the utility companies to private contractors, businesses and private citizens who have provided and will provide everything from storm tracking to shelter, food, clothing to repair services to money, to love, hope and charity.

These are the conditions which bring out the best in this great nation and sadly, sometimes the worst as gougers and scam artists descend on the unfortunate to make a quick buck. But when all is said and done, it is the best in human nature that prevails to help in the time of need and to comfort in the time of bereavement.

This storm is a testament to the unpredictablity of nature and life itself. I lived in New Orleans for twenty-two years and know the drill well of tracking storms every year and making the decision to leave or stay. It is easy to become complacent and take chances in the face of impending disaster.

This is what happened in Florida. When the call for evacuation came the storm was a catagory two and everyone thought that such a storm was eminently survivable and within hours the storm exploded to a catagory four.

I have read many times on this board the comments of those who can muster only a yawn when the terroist alert catagory is raised. Complacence is easy when alerts are not followed by disaster, but please, let us all take a lesson from this tragedy and let us endeavor to be ever vigilent against the forces, both human and natural, that can tear our lives apart in an instant.

****NEWS FLASH***** Source Fox News

Official verified deaths = 15, but it will be going up.

We finally got power back on here!!! I live in deltona right out side of Daytona Bch. They eye apst right over us last night. WE lost power at about 9 PM last night. aAnd it was just restored about an hour ago. They only reasong we have power is because there is an ambulance station at the end of my road and police on other side.Everyone else around me is out of power! It was horrible last night , my yard is damaged a ton of debri to pick up. We have a huge tree and limbs are sticking out of the ground. They were tossed around like spears. But we all made it out ok. Thanks for all your concerns guys. I will tell you it was the worst thing I have ever lived through. We ( the 7 of us) spent most of the night in the closet with the matress over us. Our ears were popping like crazy and curtains were blowing from the wind outside. Tress are fallen all around my yard on everyside. huge ones at that. I am just glad we came out of it as well as we did. to those who lost the things they held dear may god bless you and you are in our thoughts and hearts! Hopefully Earl will stay away from us next weekend as it stands he is headed right for us. There will be ALOT of lives lost so everyone should be prepared. The devestation is completely breath-taking, I can't believe we came out as well as we did!!!!

It's good to hear you came through the storm so well. We'll keep you in our prayers.

Great to hear your ok and good luck cleaning

Hmm lol i would call but calling from Australia - US is a tad expensive :/

my mum will probably call them today or visa versa.

Hope everybody is ok, best wishes.

Edit: Citrus County is north east of tampa and slightly northwest of Orlanda, about an hour or so away from each, in almost the exact middle of the two coastlines.

[edit on 14-8-2004 by Youngin]

I feel really sorry for you...
Good luck with cleaning up the mess.

Very good to hear you made it. It does sound like a rough night, and rough times are still to come.

That storm screamed so loud I swear I could hear it all the way out here. I am certain that more victims will be discovered over the next few days. It will take a while to count the dead, and many of the living are in bad shape, as well.

Hang in there. I hate to think that more trouble is coming, but it seems likely.

Be prepared.

I hate to be the bringer of bad news...,
but if you take a look at this (2.3MB animation) you can see clearly that the hurricane breeding ground is very busy at the moment. One after the other come popping out from Africa...

Globe animation - satellite