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Hurricane Katrina - Florida
Hurricane Rita - US, Cuba
Earthquake - Pakistan
Hurricane Wilma - US, Mexio,
Cuba
Landslide - Philippines
Hurricane Stan - Mexico
Explosion & fire - UK
Other events
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Catastrophe Report 8
August 8th to February 23rd 2006 |
Hurricane Wilma - US, Mexico
| Territory: |
|
US, Mexico, Cuba (also Bahamas, Jamaica, Haita,
Cayman Islands, Honduras, Belize, Nicaragua) |
| Region: |
|
South Florida (US), Yucatán
peninsula (Mexico) |
| Date: |
|
15 – 25 October 2005 |
| Event: |
|
Hurricane Wilma |
| Impact: |
|
Wilma brought torrential rain, extreme winds
and storm surge to 11countries; more than any other hurricane.
Total economic losses are estimated at US$16 billion,with insured
losses set at around US$10 billion. Mexico and South Florida
bore the brunt of the storm. Wilma drifted particularly slowly
across the Yucatán Peninsula, resulting in some parts
being battered by hurricane strength winds for over 24 hours.
The region sustained extensive structural damage alongside severe
flooding caused by torrential rains. Rainfall approached 60
cm in several areas and an extraordinary 163 cm at Isla Mujeras.
Many tourists were stranded for several days in Cancun and neighbouring
resorts, and looting appears to have been prevalent in the resort
areas. Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and Cancun have all suffered
a major loss of tourist income as a result of the storm. Economic
losses may be as high as US$6 billion, with insured losses estimated
at up to US$3 billion. In South Florida, damage was widespread
as a result of both wind and storm surge. Major flooding, up
to 2m deep, was reported throughout the Keys, while public buildings
and high rises were seriously damaged in Fort Lauderdale. The
town of Naples was worst hit, with extreme and widespread damage
to many buildings leading to thousands of homeless. Ninety percent
of all mobile homes in East Naples were destroyed. Power, water
and sewerage services were badly affected across the south of
the state, with six million people without power for a time.
Damage to orange trees led to orange juice futures climbing
to a six year high, while the sugar cane crop was also severely
affected. Economic losses in Florida could be as high as US$10
billion, with insured losses reaching US$7 billion. Cuba sustained
140 km h winds, causing damage and loss of power to Havana,
while in the Bahamas, Grand Bahama suffered coastal damage due
to a 5m storm surge. The total death toll is estimated at 62,
more than half in Florida. |
| Summary: |
|
Wilma developed in the Caribbean on October
15th, from a tropical depression SW of Jamaica. Tropical storm
status was achieved on October 17th and hurricane status the
following day. Late on the 18th, over the warm waters of the
western Caribbean, Wilma intensified at an almost unprecedented
rate to a category 5 storm, with the central pressure falling
by 61 mb in 6 hours (98 mb in 24 hours). The final central pressure
of 882 mb is the lowest ever recorded, while the rate of intensification
is the second most rapid of any tropical cyclone. At one point,
the eye was just little more than 3 km across, one of the smallest
ever recorded. Wilma weakened to a category 4 storm on the 19th
as it continued to track north-westwards, maintaining this strength
until landfall near Cozumel on the Yucatán on the 21st.
After causing massive damage and flooding in the Cancun region,
where wind speeds exceeded 240 km h, Wilma veered to the north
east and weakened to a category 2 storm as it lingered over
land. On the 23rd it moved back into the Gulf, strengthened
to category three and accelerated towards southern Florida,
which it struck early the following day. Wilma made landfall
as a category 3 storm in the sparsely inhabited region between
Marco Island and Everglades City on the SE coast of the state,
with sustained winds of almost 200 km h. The storm again weakened
to category 2 as it crossed the state, but picked up to category
3 status again when it reached the Atlantic, causing heavy damage
in the northern Bahamas. |
| Data sources: |
|
Colorado State University summary of 2005 Atlantic
tropical cyclone activity
http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts/2005/nov2005/
NOAA report on Hurricane Wilma
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL242005_Wilma.pdf
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| Additional sources:
|
|
University of Wisconsin Tropical Cyclones
Research Team
http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/archive/2005/storms/wilma/wilma.html
The Disaster Center
http://www.disastercenter.com/Tropical%20Storm%20-%20Hurricane%20-%20Wilma.html
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