U.S. Overall, $27.3billion in losses[43] and 65fatalities were attributed to Andrew,[4] although many other estimates range as high as $36billion. Hurricane Andrew was the most destructive hurricane in Florida history and the costliest in U.S. history until Katrina in 2005, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The high winds destroyed large areas of sugar and soybean crops, estimated at $289million in damage. A report by the Florida Legislature in 2006 after hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, and Wilma in 2005 came to a similar conclusion, indicating that "they added further evidence that the Florida Building Code is working. [4] River flooding was also reported, with the Tangipahoa River in Robert cresting at 3.8ft (1.2m) above flood stage. Even a month prior to Andrew, the House Committee on Appropriations which oversees the budget for FEMA released a report calling the agency a "political dumping ground" and a "turkey farm" due to its "weak, inexperienced leaders". The area's shopping mall, on U.S. 1 at. [4], Governor Lawton Chiles declared a state of emergency and activated about one-third of the Florida National Guard. Homestead was a town of about 26,000 people in 1992 when Andrew arrived. All watches and warnings on the Gulf Coast were discontinued late on August 26 after the hurricane moved inland over Louisiana. In the years that followed, the storm survivors were joined by thousands of new arrivals who turned the once-sleepy farm town into a sprawling Miami exurb and poured millions of tax dollars into revitalizing a moribund downtown that is now anchored by a shimmering new $26 million, 75-foot tall City Hall building. [4], Elsewhere, effects were relatively minimal, except in Broward, Monroe, and Collier counties. [39] The Comal County chapter of the Red Cross placed their disaster alert teams on standby and ready to respond if the hurricane threatened the Corpus Christi area. In Cypremort Point State Park, several mobile homes were destroyed. [84] A total of 17deaths occurred in Louisiana, 8directly and 9from indirect causes. Overall he caused $300 billion worth in damages and a chuck of that money came from the destruction that he caused in Homestead, Florida. a crucial role before, during, and after Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida in the morning hours of August24,1992. Hurricane Andrew made landfall on August 24, 1992, near Homestead, Florida, becoming one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in U.S. history. Now all that effort is being threatened once again by another hurricane, this one named Irma. Additionally, the storm caused severe damage to the sectors of transport, communications, water, sanitation, agriculture, and fishing. [35] Three damaging tornadoes occurred in the state. [3], A tropical wave moved off the west coast of Africa on August 14. [28] Overall, almost 1.2million people evacuated, which contributed to the low number of fatalities, despite the intensity of the storm. Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, "Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Michael", "Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)", Continental United States Hurricanes (Detailed Description), "The extratropical transitions of eastern Pacific Hurricane Lester (1992) and Atlantic Hurricane Andrew (1992)", "Andrew heads through Bahamas toward Miami", Hurricane Andrew special advisory number twenty-seven, Hurricane Andrew advisory number thirty-one, "Keys are islands in every sense after Andrew", Final Storm Report Hurricane Andrew correction for date, "Mayors of N.O., Grand Isle call for preparedness", Costliest U.S. tropical cyclones tables update, "Chapter 29. [118] A panel of psychiatrists and psychologists at the University of Miami agreed that as many as 90% of residents in the worst impacted areas would experience at least a few symptoms of PTSD. Rows of damaged houses sit between Homestead and Florida City, Florida on Aug. 25, 1992. [146] House Resolution 5620 also included disaster aid to the state of Louisiana. Then, when I did find it, I thought I'd made a mistake. [69], Tides were generally between 4 to 6ft (1.2 to 1.8m) above normal in the Biscayne Bay area, though near the Burger King International Headquarters, tides reached as high as 16.9ft (5.2m) above normal. That statutory date means losses due to Hurricane Ian, or to any other calamity . </br></br>The National Hurricane Center measured a peak gust of 164 mph. [136] Consequently, the Hispanic population in south Dade County climbed rapidly. Homestead Towne Square, a shopping mall on U.S. 1 and Campbell Drive in Homestead, stands today on the site of a mall destroyed by Hurricane Andrew 25 years ago. [51] At the capital city of Nassau, sustained winds reached 92mph (148km/h), while gusts up to 115mph (185km/h) were reported. [102], The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was criticized for its slow response in both Florida and Louisiana. [77] The county suffered the vast majority of the damage from the hurricane, totaling approximately $25billion. Hurricane Andrew wasn't the first storm to cause trouble for Homestead. [133] Many of these families had used the money they received from insurance claims to relocate. On March 5, 1994, the base reopened as Homestead Air Reserve Base. It produced hurricane-force winds along its path through Louisiana, damaging large stretches of power lines that left about 230,000people without electricity. On Sept. 15,1945, precisely three years after the base was established, a hurricane carrying winds measuring 145 mph tore through, leaving it in ruins until 1955, when a cleanup was completed and the base reactivated. After spending a week without significantly strengthening itself in the central Atlantic, the storm rapidly intensified into a powerful Category5 hurricane while moving westward towards the Bahamas on August23. Several other anemometers measuring the highest wind speeds on land were destroyed or failed. NSGA Homestead was located at Homestead AFB, near the southern end of the Florida peninsula, about 25 miles south of Miami. In Broward County, on the north side of the storm's path, damage in several municipalities was primarily limited to downed trees, several of which fell onto roads and power lines. Homestead Air Force Base, which then had 8,000 employees, was almost completely destroyed. Though Andrew was moving fast, rainfall in Florida was substantial in a few areas (less in others); the rainfall peaked at 13.98inches (355mm) in western Dade County. I cant believe another big storm is coming, its so beautiful today, Hernandez said. Funnel clouds were observed near the path of the storm,[91] along with 26tornadoes. At houses with shingled roofs, it was found that some of the shingles were stapled perpendicular to the long axis, also allowing them to be torn away. [93] Additionally, a possible tornado damaged a home and two trailers in Lawrence County. Bush nor the Federal Emergency Management Agency ordered a large-scale response until four days later, The New York Times reported at the time. Aren't big tropical cyclones also intense tropical cyclones? Twenty-six schools were affected, with damage totaling $2.6million. In real time, the National Hurricane Center assessed its peak intensity as 150mph (240km/h),[20] which was upgraded to 155mph (250km/h) in a post-storm analysis after the season ended. [107], Crime, especially looting and theft, rose sharply in the areas south of Miami immediately after Andrew. [4] Convection became more organized as upper-level outflow became better established. Fifteen of them were killed by the impact of the storm that night. [84], Across the state, the hurricane damaged 23,000homes and destroyed 985homes and 1,951mobile homes; private property damage was estimated at $1billion. The tornado destroyed 2homes and damaged 18homes, 1mobile home, 2barns, and 1vehicle. [79] In addition to the damage at Everglades National Park, effects in Monroe County were significant, especially in the Upper Florida Keys. It made a second landfall just north of Homestead at 5:05 a.m. Is she willing to rebuild again if Irma does to Homestead what Andrew did? For God's sake, where are they?" Additionally, a tornado in Floyd County near Rome snapped and uprooted several trees, damaged several fences and homes, and flipped over a trailer, tossing it on top of four cars. [119] Within six months, the circumstances related to the aftermath of Andrew led to at least five suicides and four homicides. [4], Due to the hurricane's threat, workers fled oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, while the Coast Guard moved their boats inland. [47] The storm first struck North Eleuthera,[48] where it produced a high storm surge. [4] Many evacuees also checked into hotels, with rooms completely booked as far north as Ocala. As it moved ashore, the hurricane produced storm tides of at least 8ft (2.4m) above normal, causing flooding along the coast from Vermilion Bay to Lake Borgne. "You could not get gas. Andrew began as a tropical depression over the eastern Atlantic Ocean on August16. On the west coast of Florida, sustained winds remained just below tropical storm force on Marco Island, though a wind gust of 100mph (160km/h) was reported in Collier County. After entering Mississippi, the cyclone deteriorated to tropical depression status early on August 27. By 18:00 UTC on August 24, all watches and warnings issued were discontinued after Andrew progressed into the Gulf of Mexico. [10] As the high pressure system to its north weakened, a strong mid-latitude trough approached the area from the northwest. [84] Strong winds also left at least 230,000people without electricity. Accelerating northeastward, the depression began merging with the approaching frontal system, and by midday on August 28, Andrew had lost its tropical identity while located over the southern Appalachian Mountains. Iberia Parish was also among the most severely impacted parishes. My hometown of Homestead, Florida, was rocked to ruins by the unforgiving winds of Andrew. But were going to close. [17][18][19], Post-analysis on Andrew revealed that the storm was often stronger than operationally reported between early on August 22 and early on August 26. The sign on the roof reads "Help please! [105] Lieutenant Governor Buddy MacKay flew over the impact area and described the scene as looking "like a war zone". Crop damage in Dade County totaled about $509million. Once considered a "jewel" of the Air Force, according to former Homestead Mayor Tad DeMilly, Homestead Air Force Base became a ghost town. Natives of Iowa who have called Homestead home for 39 years, they too are Andrew survivors. After being left without water and power during Hurricane Andrew's direct strike, Homestead Hospital built their new facility to withstand a Category 5 storm and implemented a few new . "The next morning it was all gone," he said. Andrew was also the strongest landfalling hurricane in the United States in decades and the costliest hurricane to strike anywhere in the country, until it was surpassed by Katrina in 2005. In the days after the storm, federal and local response was slowed by bureaucratic snarls. [4] In Tennessee, thunderstorm winds and tornadoes associated with Andrew downed trees and power lines, but caused little overall impact to homes and buildings. [142] President Bush remarked, "The destruction from this storm goes beyond anything we have known in recent years," but noted that damage was less severe than in Florida. "My sister lived in Miami so I went up and stayed with her and weathered out the storm there," Knowles told NBC6. Andrew left at least 40deaths in the county, 15direct and 25indirect. [127], More than 930,000policyholders in South Florida lost coverage after 11insurance companies went bankrupt, caused by more than 600,000insurance claims filed. [133] Similar migration occurred within the Jewish community. [36] A mandatory evacuation from Grand Isle was ordered by Mayor Andy Valence and the city council. About 25minutes after its first Florida landfall, Andrew made another landfall just northeast of Homestead, with a slightly lower pressure of 922mbar (27.23inHg). [1][2] In Florida, Andrew killed 44 and left a then-record $25billion in damage. At the Columbus Metropolitan Airport, buildings, billboards, and signs were damaged. [99] After the House of Representatives appropriated aid to victims of Hurricane Iniki in Hawaii and Typhoon Omar in Guam, the cost was later increased to $11.1billion. [46], In the Bahamas, Andrew produced hurricane-force winds in North Eleuthera, New Providence, North Andros, Bimini, and the Berry Islands. Rainfall from Andrew spread across the southeastern United States along the Appalachian Mountains corridor; totals of over 5in (125mm) were reported where Georgia and South Carolina meet North Carolina. In Carroll County, several dwellings and barns were damaged, with one mobile home destroyed. [61][62], The storm surge from Andrew was very limited in its overall coverage due the compactness of the hurricane,[63][56] although it caused between $96million and more than $500million in losses to boats and buildings, based on various sources. Andrew first inflicted structural damage as it moved through the Bahamas, especially in Cat Cays, lashing the islands with storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and tornadoes. College of the Mainland, Galveston College, and Texas A&M University at Galveston were also closed. It was years before people began returning to Homestead and nearly two decades for the city to fully bounce back. [35] Gambling ships were moved into harbors and inland canals. Andrew's intensity, combined with lax enforcement of building codes, destroyed over 25,000 homes, leaving more than 160,000 residents homeless. . [4] The storm's remnants continued moving towards the northeast, fully merging with the remnants of Hurricane Lester and the frontal zone over the Mid-Atlantic, in Pennsylvania, on August 29. [95] The rainfall caused flooding in low-lying areas and creeks, covering a few county roads but not entering many houses or businesses. [4], As Andrew moved ashore in Louisiana, its outer fringes produced a storm tide of about 1.3ft (0.40m) in Sabine Pass, Texas. Andrew is currently the ninth-costliest Atlantic hurricane to hit the United States, behind only Katrina (2005), Ike (2008), Sandy (2012), Harvey (2017), Irma (2017), Maria (2017), Ida (2021), and Ian (2022) as well as the ninth-costliest Atlantic hurricane, behind the aforementioned systems.