Damage in Cozumel?

[bahamaswx]

Any photos released yet or anything?

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

What do you think it did. The storm was 140 mph with reports of 160+ mph wind gust. It sat for over 36 hours on those people. Just think Katrina but make that 10 times that.

[feederband]

I was wondering the same thing...Usally no news is bad news...

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

I also heard 64 inches of rain...Meaning the flooding has got to be over 5 feet in places at least.

[wxmann_91]

The reports I see are so far good, little structural damage and not as catastrophic as previously thought.

[feederband]

The reports I see are so far good, little structural damage and not as catastrophic as previously thought.

Seems to me the first reports are always from areas that are not hit as bad....Then they start to get into areas that are just wiped out...

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

The reports I see are so far good, little structural damage and not as catastrophic as previously thought.

Hard to believe....We must build pretty cheap for a weaker hurricane like Katrina to do what it did. In These people get hit twice as hard in have little damage...

WOW we need to learn from these people. They could teach us something!

[djtil]

ive seen some pics from various sources and it definitely isnt catastrophic.....a lot of damage of course but most structures held up pretty good.

[gtalum]

I'm sure the locals' homes did not fare as well as the hotels and commercial spaces seem to have held up. However, if they can reopen the hotels and bars quickly, then much-needed money will start flowing in to help the individuals to recover.

[feederband]

It will be sometime tomorrow before we will see what happen down their..I'm sure there will be wide spread devastation...

[djtil]

Hard to believe....We must build pretty cheap for a weaker hurricane like Katrina to do what it did.

"cheap" has nothing to do with katrina. hopefully we can figure out why the surge was so intense vs wind speed and be able to use that in the future when forecasting the extent of surge expected.

[JtSmarts]

I surfed some websites last night, and from what I read, the damage was worse than Gilbert, in that area.

http://www.cancuntravelonline.com/forum ... 497cf82c7d

http://stormcarib.com/reports/2005/mexico.shtml

[johngaltfla]

The reports I see are so far good, little structural damage and not as catastrophic as previously thought.

Do what? I've seen stills of the airport and it's pretty well trashed. The main terminal, hangers, everything.

Also the reports on CNN and FNC from their reporters indicate the tourist hotels suffered "extensive damage".

I would hardly call 1000 homes being destroyed as not "catstrophic".

[soonertwister]

Most of the development in Cancun of large resort hotels has been fairly recent, and specifically designed to withstand powerful hurricanes.

So I don't expect catastrophic damage for the big hotels, but there will be much catastrophic damage otherwise. It is probably almost impossible to reach the area now. Many roads must have been washed out, flooding everywhere, trees covering roads everywhere, no airport to land in, no safe water to come in by boat until maybe just recently.

Cozumel could scarcely have taken a harder blow. It had to have been considerably worse there than Cancun.

[lisa0825]

I have been getting reports by phone from my dive instructor's brother-in-law that it is major, major damage, worse than Gilbert. Widespread flooding, widespread loss of roofs and uprooted trees.... power lines everywhere... cruise ship piers collapsed/partially collapsed... boats in the marina tossed onto land, both ferries damaged... etc.... McDonald's is gone, but few will miss it.

The only good news I have read is that the seawall held and that the concrete buildings on the waterfront are ddamaged but most likely structually OK.

7 lives lost by one account. Looting in Cozumel and Cancun. I have only located 2 people I know, but the reports I have heard from others is of them reconnecting with people in shelters, so hopefully after communications come back up, we'll find everyone we're waiting to hear from.