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Wilma kills 6 in Florida; 6 million without power
(AP)
Updated: 2005-10-25 09:10 As it moved across the state, Wilma weakened to a Category 2 with winds of
105 mph. But it was still powerful enough to flatten trees, flood streets, break
water mains, knock down signs, turn debris into missiles and light up the sky
with the blue-green flash of popping transformers.
By early afternoon, Wilma had swirled out into the open Atlantic, back up to
115-mph Category 3 strength but on a course unlikely to have much effect on the
East Coast. Forecasters said it would stay well offshore.
A Key West resident stands on the roof of his
truck after Hurricane Wilma hits Florida's southern west coast October 24,
2005. [Reuters] | Wilma brought 8 inches of rain
to Miami-Dade County, nearly 6 1/2 to Naples and 3 to Fort Lauderdale. The
flooding could well have been worse if the storm had lingered over the state
instead of racing straight through, National Hurricane Center meteorologist Mark
McInerney said.
"There's really no good scenario for a hurricane. Just a lesser of two
evils," he said.
More than one-third of the state's residents lost power. Florida Power &
Light, the state's biggest utility, said it could take weeks to restore
electricity to everyone.
The storm's reach was so great that it blacked out homes
and businesses as far north as Daytona Beach, an eight-hour drive north from Key
West. Also, a tornado spun off by the storm damaged an apartment complex near
Melbourne on the east coast, 200 miles from where Wilma came ashore.
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