Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant passages that can help answer the question.
Query: How much did the damage from Hurricane Andrew in Florida cost?
Strong winds from the hurricane significantly affected four counties in the state, which damaged or destroyed over 730,000 houses and buildings, while leaving more than 1million without power. The storm surge impacted portions of Miami-Dade County, peaking at around 16.9feet (5.2m) just north of Homestead near the Burger King International Headquarters; the surge caused significant damage to boats and to the Charles Deering Estate. The nationwide maximum rainfall total from the hurricane was 13.98inches (355mm) in the western portion of Miami-Dade County. No major flooding was reported in the state. The hurricane caused about $25.3billion (1992USD) in damage and 44deaths in the state—15directly from the storm's effects and 29indirectly related. Many other sources, however, estimated that Andrew caused more than $32 billion in damage in the state.[1] Andrew was, at the time, the costliest hurricane in the history of the United States; it was surpassed in subsequent years by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Hurricane Ike in 2008, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017.
The List of Florida hurricanes encompasses approximately 500tropical or subtropical cyclones that affected the state of Florida. More storms hit Florida than any other U.S. state,[1] and since 1851 only eighteen hurricane seasons passed without a known storm impacting the state. Collectively, cyclones that hit the region have resulted in over 10,000 deaths, most of which occurring prior to the start of Hurricane Hunters flights in 1943. Additionally, the cumulative impact from the storms totaled over US$191billion in damage (2017dollars), primarily from Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Irma and hurricanes in the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Shortly after conditions from Hurricane Andrew subsided, then-President of the United States George H. W. Bush assessed damage in the Miami area with then-Governor of Florida Lawton Chiles. Bush quickly declared the region a disaster area, which provided public assistance to victims of the storm [15] in Broward, Collier, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties.[51] In addition, Lieutenant Governor Buddy MacKay flew over the impact area, and noted that "it looks like a war zone".[52] On September11, 1992, then-Governor Lawton Chiles considered asking the Florida State Legislature to raise taxes, citing that "No matter how much Congress appropriates to repair damage from Hurricane Andrew, the state will face a substantial clean bill".[53]
Pinellas County suffered some of the worst damage from Hurricane Elena in Florida. At the height of the storm, over 500,000 of its residents were without electricity. Forty-four single-family homes were destroyed, 31 more were damaged, and several condominiums, townhouses, and commercial buildings were damaged or destroyed. The hurricane also wrecked or irreparably compromised nearly of coastal bulkheads and inflicted minor damage on more. Most of the affected seawalls were degrading or poorly reinforced. Seawalls with higher standards of construction generally remained intact, though even in those cases, overwash from the Gulf of Mexico topped the barriers and deposited large volumes of sand. The hurricane cost roughly $100 million in Pinellas County.
Elena's track parallel to the Florida Panhandle subjected the coastline between Apalachicola and Pensacola Beach to particularly severe conditions that resulted in "significant" property damage there. In Apalachicola proper, winds tore large roofs off buildings, and data from Florida's Department of Natural Resources indicate that 20 residences and one community building in Franklin County were damaged or destroyed. Structural failure was prevalent along the county's waterfront and on islands such as Dog Island; however, it was mainly limited to poorly constructed buildings. Several miles of roadways in the county sustained significant damage, and about of bulkhead was destroyed. Low seawalls allowed crucial points of the causeway to St. George Island to erode, causing it to fail. In Escambia County, the hurricane left $2 million in damages. Throughout much of the remainder of the Florida Panhandle, structural damage was limited, though 100,000 people in the Pensacola area lost power. The configuration of the southern tip of Cape San Blas in Gulf County was changed by the storm. The hurricane wiped out eagle nests, generated freshwater fish kills, and affected other species of wildlife at the St. Vincent and St. Marks National Wildlife Refuges. St. George Island and Honeymoon Island State Parks were heavily affected, with appreciable but lesser damage in numerous other protected areas. U.S. Route 98, which closely follows the coast in this region, required extensive repairs after being undermined in nearly two dozen locations.
On the coastline, tides were generally light and usually ranged from 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8m) in Biscayne Bay. However, at the Burger King International Headquarters, a storm surge of 16.9ft (5.2m) in height was observed.[4] The building suffered more than $24million in damage and forced the company to abandon corporate offices during one of its more significant product promotions.[18][19] Nearby at the Charles Deering Estate, 16ft (4.9m) waves ravaged the property.[4] The natural areas were devastated, while only the farthest inland section of the Richmond Cottage remained standing. Damage to repair the estate cost approximately $7.2million.[20] A large boat was littered ashore in a canal south of Deering Bay, where water levels were 14ft (4.3m) above normal.[21] Many boats in southeast Florida were damaged from high tides produced by the storm, most notably, the Belzona Barge was damaged, which was a 215ft (66m), 350-ton barge.[4] At the Boca Chita Key Historic District, a bridge and stone wall were destroyed.[22] In addition, the powerful seas also extensively damaged coral reef systems offshore of southeast Florida. It is estimated that the storm caused at least $500million in losses to boats. At Homestead Air Reserve Base (then known as Homestead Air Force Base), a barometric pressure of 922mbar (27.2inHg) was measured, making Andrew the most intense hurricane to strike Florida since the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 and the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in the United States since Hurricane Camille in 1969.[4] Throughout the state, rainfall totals ranged from light to moderate, with precipitation from the storm peaked at 13.98 inches (355mm) in the Everglades portions of Miami-Dade County.[23]
Some officials in Florida considered Andrew the worst storm in the state since the Labor Day hurricane in 1935.[15] Almost all the damage in Florida was caused by strong winds. Although effects from Andrew were catastrophic, the extent of damage was limited mainly from Kendall south to Key Largo due to the small wind field of the storm.[4] Following the storm, more than 1.4million lost electricity and another 150,000 were without telephone service.[16] It is estimated that throughout Florida some 63,000homes were destroyed, leaving at least 175,000people homeless.[17]
Hurricane Andrew was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in mid-to-late August 1992, the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida until Hurricane Irma surpassed it 25 years later. It was the strongest in decades and the costliest hurricane to make landfall anywhere in the United States until it was surpassed by Katrina in 2005. Andrew caused major damage in the Bahamas and Louisiana, but the greatest impact was felt in South Florida, where the storm made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane, with sustained wind speeds as high as 165mph (270km/h). Passing directly through the city of Homestead in Dade County (now known as Miami-Dade County), Andrew stripped many homes of all but their concrete foundations. In total, Andrew destroyed more than 63,500 houses, damaged more than 124,000 others, caused $27.3 billion in damage,[nb 1] and left 65 people dead.
The 1992 Atlantic hurricane season had one of the latest dates on record for the first named storm. The season officially began on June 1, 1992, and lasted until November 30, 1992. The first storm, an unnamed subtropical storm, developed in the central Atlantic on April 21, over a month before the official start of hurricane season. The most significant storm of the season was Hurricane Andrew, which at the time was the costliest U.S. hurricane. After crossing the Bahamas, the hurricane made landfall in Florida and Louisiana. It caused $27.3 billion (1992 USD) in damage, mostly in Florida, and 65 fatalities. Andrew was also the strongest hurricane of the season, reaching winds of while approaching Florida.
On the evening of September 1, hurricane warnings were issued for the northwest Bahamas while hurricane watches were issued for the lower east coast of Florida and tropical storm watches were issued for the Florida Keys. There was the potential for catastrophic damage along Florida's heavily populated east coast, with warnings that damages from Frances could exceed the insured losses of Hurricane Andrew. These damage estimates were in anticipation that Frances would strike Florida as a strong Category Four hurricane. Preparations for the storm were stepped up in Florida on September 1. Governor Jeb Bush declared a state of emergency, Kennedy Space Center closed down, and evacuations of 500,000 people were initially ordered. Eventually 41 counties received evacuation orders, covering 2.8 million residents, the largest evacuation in Florida's history. The state education system also responded to the pending crisis. Many universities across Florida canceled classes. Both the University of Central Florida and the University of North Florida told all students to leave their dorms. Evacuation at the University of South Florida was performed on a dorm-by-dorm basis. Florida Atlantic University was closed for a week and a half. Most schools were shut down from southern Miami-Dade County to just south of Melbourne two days before the hurricane. The annual Florida State University-University of Miami college football game was rescheduled for the following week.
Hurricane Ethel also brought heavy rains and strong winds to much of the Florida Panhandle. A maximum of of rain fell at an agricultural experiment station near Milton, Florida, the highest total measured at an official station and attributed to this storm. Hurricane Donna struck Tampa, Florida, particularly hard earlier in the month, causing major flooding of Hillsborough River (Florida) at Zephyrhills, Florida on 12 September. People feared severe flooding of the Hillsborough River into Tampa, which did not occur. The highest wind gust in the state was , measured in both Pensacola and Apalachicola. A thunderstorm associated with Ethel produced lightning that hit a power station near Tallahassee, causing a citywide blackout for . According to Florida Highway Patrol, Ethel directly caused damage of $100,000 (1960 USD) in the state. Additionally Ethel spawned four tornadoes in Florida, one of which reached F2 intensity and damaged or destroyed 25 homes near Panama City.
The first hurricane to cause at least $1 billion in damage was Hurricane Betsy in 1965, which caused much of its damage in southeastern Louisiana. Four years later, Hurricane Camille caused over $1 billion in damage as it ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi at landfall, and Virginia after moving inland. After the 1960s, each decade saw an increase in tropical cyclones causing at least a billion in damage over the last, due to increasing urban development and population. In the 1970s, four hurricanes caused at least a billion in damage; the costliest of which was Hurricane Agnes, which caused $2.1 billion in damage. The following decade featured seven hurricanes causing at least a billion in damage. In the 1990s, twelve tropical cyclones accrued at least a billion in damage, including Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The system greatly exceeded the damage figure of any preceding tropical cyclone, causing $27.3 billion in damage, mostly in South Florida. Nineteen tropical cyclones in the 2000s caused at least $1 billion in damage. The 2005 season had six billion-dollar hurricanes, the most of any season on record. Hurricanes Ivan in 2004 and Irma in 2017 caused at least $1 billion in damage in four separate countries. Thus far in the 2010s, twelve storms have caused at least $1 billion in damage, the most recent of which is Hurricane Michael, which accrued at least $15.1 billion in damage.
After Hurricane Andrew in 1992 caused $16 billion in insured damage, the state of Florida established new building standards and enforcement. The state increased performance criteria for wind-load provisions and adopted new wind provisions from the American Society of Civil Engineers. One important addition included with the new code was the requirement of missile-impact resisting glass, which can withstand high velocity impact from wind-borne debris during a hurricane. Many houses built in South Florida since Hurricane Andrew are cinder block masonry construction reinforced with concrete pillars, hurricane-strapped roof trusses, and codes requirements for adhesives and types of roofing. Florida also designated high velocity hurricane zones (i.e. High Velocity Hurricane Zone) with special requirements defined for Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.
Hurricane Andrew in August 1992 struck Homestead, just south of Miami, as a Category 5 hurricane, leaving forty people dead, 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed, more than a million people left without electricity, and damages of $20–30billion. Much of South Florida's sensitive vegetation was severely damaged. The region had not seen a storm of such power in decades. Besides heavy property damage, the hurricane nearly destroyed the region's insurance industry.[92]
Dean was the first hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic basin at Category 5 intensity since Hurricane Andrew on August 24, 1992. Dean's Category 5 landfall was in a sparsely populated area and thus far less damaging than Andrew's, even though Dean was much larger, but its long swath of damage resulted in its name retirement from the World Meteorological Organization's Atlantic hurricane naming lists.
The hurricane affected few people in South Florida, striking a portion of the coast that was largely unpopulated and devoid of major settlements. Nevertheless, the cyclone produced widespread damage over much of the region, extending as far north as Sebastian. The highest wind speed reported in South Florida was below hurricane intensity—only at Point Jupiter—and only modest rainfall of was measured at the same location. The highest winds on the east coast of Florida occurred at Sebastian Inlet and were estimated to have reached minimal hurricane intensity, , from the northeast. The strong winds downed trees and telegraph poles; additionally, many small boats were reportedly pushed ashore, and nearby fruit groves sustained "several thousand dollars" in damage. Although the storm mostly produced minimal damage, it reportedly generated a large storm surge of "on the beaches near Miami"—one of the highest on record in South Florida. The surge was comparable to the visually estimated from Coconut Grove in the 1926 Miami hurricane—in fact, it was even higher than the officially measured value of in Miami from the same storm—and was only exceeded by the measured at the Burger King International Headquarters near Cutler in Dade County during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. However, little information is available about the circumstances of the storm surge value reported in 1888.
A hurricane, known as the "Great Miami Hurricane of 1926," caused catastrophic damage to the heavily developed Miami and Miami Beach area. Hurricane Betsy passed over Key Largo, south of the city, but did cause hurricane-force winds and very heavy rainfall there. Hurricane Andrew in 1992 also struck south of city and caused extensive damage and flooding in the Homestead area suburbs. Hurricane Wilma in 2005 caused severe damage to many high-rise buildings in the downtown area as it broke many windows out, which in turn caused bad water damage on the insides of the buildings. It also caused at least 35 direct and 26 indirect fatalities in Florida.
Overall, Andrew caused about $25.3billion in damage in Florida,[2] making it the costliest hurricane to hit the state at the time.[50] Some estimates in Florida put the damage as high as $32billion (1992 USD, $57.1billion 2019USD).[51] Almost all of the damage in Florida was caused by strong winds.[2] Of the 44deaths attributed to the storm, 15were direct fatalities, while 29were indirectly caused by the storm. It was later noted that if Andrew had been slightly larger or had made landfall a few miles further north, it would have significantly affected Miami and Fort Lauderdale, which would have resulted in an even higher damage and death toll.[2] An analysis by the American Meteorological Society indicated that unlike most hurricanes, wind damage from Andrew was mostly north of the geometric center and occurred primarily on the eastern edge of the storm.[52] Some officials in Florida considered Andrew the worst storm in the state since the Labor Day hurricane in 1935.[53] The storm surge from Andrew caused more than $500million in losses to boats and buildings.[2][54] At the height of the storm, more than 1.4million people lost electricity and another 150,000were without telephone service.[55] It is estimated that throughout Florida, the storm damaged 101,241homes and destroyed approximately 63,000others – the vast majority in Dade County – with about 175,000people rendered homeless.[2][56] In addition to homes, the storm damaged or destroyed 82,000businesses, 32,900 acres (13,300ha) of farmland, 31public schools, 59health facilities/hospitals, 9,500traffic signals, 3,300mi (5,300km) of power lines, and 3,000watermains.[55] Approximately 20million cubic yards (15million m3) of debris left by the storm were disposed of.[57]
Hurricane 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. About 800 houses were destroyed in the archipelago, and there was substantial damage to the transport, water, sanitation, agriculture, and fishing sectors. Andrew left four dead and $250 million in damage throughout the Bahamas. In parts of southern Florida, Andrew produced severe winds; a wind gust of 177mph (282km/h) was observed at a house in Perrine. The cities of Florida City, Homestead, and Cutler Ridge received the brunt of the storm. As many as 1.4 million people lost power at the height of the storm. In the Everglades, 70,000 acres (280km2) of trees were downed, while invasive Burmese pythons began inhabiting the region after a nearby facility housing them was destroyed. Rainfall in Florida was substantial, peaking at 13.98 inches (355mm) in western Dade County. In Florida, Andrew killed 44 and left a record $25 billion in damage.
The hardest-hit area was the United States Gulf Coast from eastern Texas to the Florida Panhandle. First to strike the area was Hurricane Dennis, which caused $2.23 billion in damage along the Florida Panhandle. Hurricane Katrina caused catastrophic damage to the Gulf Coast, devastating a long stretch of coast along Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama with a 30-foot (9 m) storm surge. Wind damage was reported well inland, slowing down recovery efforts. Storm surge also breached levees in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, flooding about 80% of the city. Total damage has been estimated at $125 billion, and at least 1,836 people were killed by the storm; Katrina is the second costliest hurricane in U.S. history, surpassing 1992's Hurricane Andrew, and the deadliest hurricane in the U.S. since 1928. Hurricane Rita struck near the same area, re-flooded New Orleans (though to a far less degree than Katrina), and caused extensive damage along the coastlines of Louisiana and Texas; total damage is estimated at about $18.5 billion. Tropical Storm Arlene and Hurricane Cindy also struck the Gulf Coast but caused much lighter damage.
The Mexican state of Quintana Roo was also heavily hit, suffering billions of dollars in damage when Hurricanes Emily and Wilma both made landfall between Cozumel and Cancún. Wilma was particularly devastating, lashing the area with major hurricane-force winds for over a full day, and was possibly the most damaging hurricane in Mexican history.
The storm's large wind field resulted in strong winds across much of Florida, except for the western Panhandle. The highest reported sustained wind speed was 112 mph (180 km/h) on Marco Island, while the strongest observed wind gust was 142 mph (229 km/h), recorded near Naples, though wind gusts of likely occurred in the Middle Florida Keys. More than 7.7 million homes and businesses in Florida were left without electricity at some point – approximately 73.33% of state. Generally heavy amounts of rainfall were recorded to the east of the Irma's path, including a peak total of 21.66 in (550 mm) in Fort Pierce. Heavy precipitation – and storm surge, in some instances – overflowed at least 32 rivers and creeks, causing in significant flooding, particularly along the St. Johns River and its tributaries. Many homes and businesses suffered damage or destruction, with more than 65,000 structures damaged to some degree in West Central and Southwest Florida alone. Agriculture experienced about $2.5 billion in damage. It was estimated that the cyclone caused at least $50 billion in damage, making Irma the costliest hurricane in Florida history, surpassing Hurricane Andrew.
Though Andrew was a small tropical cyclone for most of its lifespan, it caused extreme damage, especially in the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana. The vast majority of the damage was as a result of extremely high winds, although a few tornadoes spawned by Andrew caused considerable damage in Louisiana. Throughout the areas affected, almost 177,000people were left homeless. Outside of the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana, effects were widespread, although damage was minimal. Overall, $27.3billion in losses[38] and 65fatalities were attributed to Andrew,[2] with some estimates ranging as high as $34billion.[40] Andrew was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history at the time, but is now seventh following hurricanes Katrina (2005), Ike (2008), Sandy (2012), Harvey (2017), Irma (2017), and Maria (2017).[41]
In Florida, President Bush assessed damage in areas south of Miami with Florida Governor Lawton Chiles.[53] The president quickly declared the region a disaster area, which provided public assistance to victims of the storm in Broward, Collier, Dade, and Monroe Counties.[92] Lieutenant Governor Buddy MacKay flew over the impact area and described the scene as looking "like a war zone".[93] Governor Chiles considered asking the Florida State Legislature to raise taxes, stating that "No matter how much Congress appropriates to repair damage from Hurricane Andrew, the state will face a substantial cleanup bill".[87] Instead of raising taxes, Chiles signed a bill into law on December 17 that created a three-year reserve fund for losses to uninsured businesses and homes, as well as government and school buildings and functions. Additionally, the bill allowed South Floridians to keep an estimated $500million in sales tax generated by rebuilding efforts.[94]
The effects of Hurricane Andrew in the Bahamas included three direct fatalities and $250 million (1992 USD) in damage. Forming from a tropical wave on August 16, Andrew remained weak until rapidly intensifying on August 22, and late on August 23 it made its first landfall in The Bahamas on Eleuthera as a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 260 km/h (160 mph); early the next day Hurricane Andrew passed through the southern Berry Islands with winds of 240 km/h (150 mph). The hurricane later made a devastating landfall in southern Florida, and after striking southern Louisiana it dissipated over the eastern United States. Andrew was the first major hurricane to affect the nation since Hurricane Betsy in 1965. It caused $250 million in damage (1965 USD, $384 million 2007 USD), with damage heaviest on Eleuthera and Cat Cay. Four deaths occurred due to the storm, of which one was indirectly related to the hurricane.
A couple of the Aladdin homes survived over the years, but without the community and the commercial buildings, which remained on the drawing board. The last of these homes reportedly suffered severe damage in Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The wooden train station—unique among Seaboard stations in South Florida, which were routinely constructed out of stucco or concrete—was reported to be still standing as of 1985, but was apparently torn down after suffering damage from Hurricane Andrew.
Like many locations in southern Florida, Biscayne National Park is affected by hurricanes every few years. Most storms require temporary closings and occasional repairs to park facilities. A direct hit by a powerful hurricane can produce severe consequences, primarily by its impact on human interventions in the environment rather than on the natural environment of the park, which is well-adapted to these events. Significant hurricanes to strike Biscayne include storms in 1835 and 1904, the 1906 Florida Keys hurricane, the 1926 Miami hurricane, the 1929 Bahamas hurricane, the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, the 1935 Yankee hurricane, the 1941 Florida hurricane, the 1945 Southeast Florida hurricane, the 1948 Miami hurricane, Hurricane King in 1950, Hurricane Donna in 1960. Hurricane Cleo in 1964, and Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The park can be affected by wave action from more distant tropical storms such as 2012's Hurricane Sandy, which damaged facilities on Elliott Key.
On August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew came ashore just south of Miami, passing directly across Biscayne National Park with maximum sustained winds of , with gusts to . The storm surge was up to above mean sea level. It was a compact Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Biscayne Bay was affected by bottom scouring and turbidity and with damage to its fringes of mangrove forest. Leakage from damaged boats and marinas polluted the bay with fuel, with discharges continuing for nearly a month after the hurricane's passage. A commemorative plaque was placed at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center in 2002 to commemorate the human and environmental cost of Andrew, and to celebrate the area's recovery from the storm's effects. The inscription reads in part: