It’s been 20 years since Hurricane Wilma uprooted parts of South Florida. The record-breaking storm left a path of damage from Key West through Palm Beach County. 7’s Craig Stevens looks back at Wilma, 20 years after it made landfall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monday, October 24th. Hurricane Wilma struck Southwest Florida with 120 mile-per-hour winds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The monster Category 3 storm covered most of Florida as it headed east toward Miami-Dade and Broward counties, hitting here as a strong Category 1, with some areas experiencing Category 2 force winds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Woman: “It took our hurricane shutters right off the window.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wilma’s eyewall was between 55 and 65 miles wide. It covered all of South Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The storm’s winds left a path of destruction from Miami to Fort Lauderdale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Broward County School Board headquarters suffered extensive damage, as did the Broward County Courthouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Woman: “Broward County, the district. Basically, it’s destroyed — it’s glass everywhere, it’s debris everywhere, papers everywhere.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In North Bay Village, a man was rescued from a houseboat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First responder: “We put the gentleman on a lounge chair and a backboard and pulled him off to safety.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other nearby boats were sunk from Wilma’s winds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Man: “We’re watching docks ripped out, we’re watching boats sinking. This is our community, our friends, and we’ve lost it all. It’s all gone.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also gone: electricity. Ninety-eight percent of customers in South Florida lost power, primarily due to downed trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Woman: “They’re estimating us to be maybe another teo to three weeks before we get power back.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grocery stores had no power. Gas stations had no power. People waited hours in long lines for fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Woman at gas station: “I’ve been here all morning!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It wasn’t long before tempers flared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Man at gas station: “Before you know it, everyone was out of their cars. Thank God the police came to squash the problem, but people’s tempers are high.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Police had to be called to the few stations that had generators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gas station employee: “They were pushing towards the pumps. We had to shut the pumps down. They lined up, the police [were] in front of them, and even then, they were pushing against the police. It was pretty scary.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With grocery stores closed, families became desperate to find ice and food for their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reporter: “Did you eat anything?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Girl: “Cereals.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reporter: “You had some cereals?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[The girl nods.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reporter: “Anything else?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Girl’s father: “Did you have milk?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[The girl shakes her head.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Girl’s father: “No?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People who had gas could drive to government distribution sites. Others had to improvise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For many it was a daily struggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Woman: “We eat what we can. Just ends and odds. It’s hard, it’s really hard, it’s hard “<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weeks after the storm, the hardships weren’t over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Woman: “Water was everywhere. I was wondering where the water was coming from.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Buildings damaged by the storm became unlivable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Man: “They never told us that we had to move out or anything. I get here, and they told us, ‘This building has been condemned.'”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hundreds of people were given hours to leave their homes, taking only what they could carry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Woman: “I don’t know where we’re going to go. I don’t know.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wilma caused more than $20 billion worth of damage in Florida, and as a result of the storm’s impact, gas stations and grocery stores were mandated by law to have backup generators.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"