possible terrible news from sw florida

[Derek Ortt]

Multiple news sources (CNN, WFOR, etc) are reporting that there may be "stacks of bodies" in the Punta Gorda area in a mobile home park and possibly in other areas inland. There is no word regarding those who remained on the barrier islands. I mean, who in the hell would try to ride out a cat 4 on the islands?

This is an incredibly sad day in American history if these reports are true

[jlauderdal]

Multiple news sources (CNN, WFOR, etc) are reporting that there may be "stacks of bodies" in the Punta Gorda area in a mobile home park and possibly in other areas inland. There is no word regarding those who remained on the barrier islands. I mean, who in the hell would try to ride out a cat 4 on the islands?

This is an incredibly sad day in American history if these reports are true

They rode it out because they assumed it was going to Tampa and than it became too late. Same result whether its a 2 or 4 if you are in a mobile home.

[soonertwister]

Fox News is reporting that the coroner of the county where Punta Gorda is located has asked for the delivery of 60 body bags.

[Deenac813]

This is so terrible. Hurricanes are nothing to mess around with. I dont even know what to say

[Brent]

Fox News is reporting that the coroner of the county where Punta Gorda is located has asked for the delivery of 60 body bags.

I just saw that on MSNBC. The reporter said authorities are telling him that number may be low. He also saw 2 refrigeration trucks headed through the area.

[Thunder44]

There may be an exaggeration going around here. They are ordered 60 body bags but that does NOT mean there anywhere near 60 dead. Just making sure they have enough. They don't know a number yet.

Another thing is these people should not be moblie homes, even if it was just a Cat 1, in a hurricane warning area.

[Derecho]

This EOD manager doesn't impress me. Idiotic to tell the media how many body bags he ordered.

[soonertwister]

This EOD manager doesn't impress me. Idiotic to tell the media how many body bags he ordered.

Maybe he was trying to make a point to people, so that something like this doesn't happen again.

[wx247]

Wow... this is incredibly sad.

[jlauderdal]

This EOD manager doesn't impress me. Idiotic to tell the media how many body bags he ordered.

And why should the EOD manager not report what is happening? There is enough misinformation inthe media we might as well get the truth when we get the opportunity.

[Stratosphere747]

The reason the rode it out was as bad as it sounds have themselves only to blame....The NHC bashing has no warrant....period...Go back and look at the warning areas, and the cone of the possible path...As others have posted it was the national media the starting hammering on the Tampa/St Pete landfall...

Did those who rode it out have any idea that it would go from a Cat 2 to a Cat 4 in a matter of hours...Of course not, but nor did the NHC...Hell who could have imagined it would have done this...Some speculated that there was a remote chance of it gaining strength rapidly...But this rapidly!!!!

As far as the EOD manager...He has a job do to...But can you imagine the stress that not only he but others in the town are under after going thru Charley and now seeing the destruction....

As much as we have a thirst for the media to give us the damage reports etc....Maybe for the time being they should put the mic and cameras down and lend a hand!!!

[sfwx]

Makes you wonder about "-removed-" doesn't it??!?!?

Eric

[msbee]

I was watching the pictures on CNN this morning. there is massive destruction.
it is very sad
Blaming will not help. People were told to evacuate and many did not, thinking the storm would hit more North. They still should have evacuated of course.
But there are always going to be people who under- estimate the power of these storms, no matter how seriously they are warned.

All of us here enjoy following these storms and watching them develop. Obviously there is a certian thrill in that.
But, to some of the people here who are cheerleaders for "bring on the storm", I would like them to take a moment and pause today and consider the terrible toll these storms take on people both physically and emotionally. There should be no " bring on the storms" cheering without giving thought to what that may mean.
It is one of the things that seriously bothers me here sometimes with some of the posts.

[SouthernWx]

In all honesty Derek, it's not a surprise to learn of a high death toll. In an area untouched by a major hurricane in 40+ years and with a large near-shore coastal population it was sadly only a matter of time

I posted the following at another wx forum on Thursday afternoon...sadly, it was prophetic.


Mr Bob, I'm concerned it may become even more intense than that. Charley will cross over an area of sst just south of Cuba that is over 90° F (32-33° C).  I won't be surprised if it reaches cat-4 before Cuba landfall....and that part of Cuba won't weaken Charley a bit.  I saw both Camille and Frederic both GAIN strength while crossing the western portion of Cuba.
 
Add the fact sst's around the Keys and offshore the Florida west coast are between 86-89°...and I wouldn't rule out anything...not even another hurricane Camille (I'd never forecast cat-5...but it won't shock me).
 
Another point....surface pressures are apparently higher than normal around the hurricane.  We have a 90 kt hurricane @ 980 mb....extrapolation gives us...
 
100 kt = 970 mb
110 kt = 960 mb
120 kt = 950 mb
130 kt = 940 mb
 
With a compact hurricane like this, we could see cat-5 sustained winds with a central pressure in the 930-935 mb range.
 
To say I'm worried about a possible disaster in the Tampa Bay region is an understatement.  If reports I'm hearing of complacency are true....folks not taking the potential intensity of this hurricane seriously, we may be about to witness a catastrophe.  

[caribepr]

MsBee, you said what I feel well. I simply second you.

[wlfpack81]

Wow this is sad. I wonder when was the last time we lost more than 40 or so in a hurricane. Even with Andrew only 26 died considering that was a Cat 5.

[Eyes2theSkies]

We're ok here in Ocoee, we were lucky none of the trees landed on our house. The forecasters had said "look out Tampa" until just a couple of hours before Charley nailed Punta Gorda. What you don't understand is that most mobile home parks are full of little old ladies that moved down here from other areas of the country. They had no clue to the power of a hurricane. I was born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts. My grandparents refused to leave their mobile home during Bob, I couldn't bear to leave them there, I stayed, too. Obviously, we were fine. A lot of relocated yankees went through hurricanes up there, and they compare those experiences, but it's no comparison, I used to think hurricanes were a joke. Usually, Nor'easters are worse. But you have to understand the mindset. Little old ladies don't cruise the internet, they go by what the most handsome reporter is saying, even if it's BS. And most of the time, their kids don't live around here, they have no one but their neighbors, who are doing the same thing.

[The Big Dog]

There is a mentality to stay behind if you don't have experience with something. No major storms in more than 40 years will do that. People question how serious it could be, and whether or not it's worth uprooting their lives, boarding up, etc. etc., even for a couple of days. I doubt they will ever have a problem evacuating Fort Myers again.

Lots of people in Palm Beach stayed behind during Andrew because they had ridden out David (a Cat 2). Yesterday, one of the local stations -- don't remember which -- interviewed some guy on his patio. He was staying behind because he rode out Andrew, so he'd have no problem with Charley. I think he was in Clewiston, so he and his trailer park got a lot of rain and gusty winds, but probably nothing too serious. But still...

[Derek Ortt]

we lost 56 from Floyd and quite a few with Allison, but that was form flooding

[Aquawind]

I am so lucky Charley made the Jog North before landfall..