Hurricane Frances weakens after Florida havoc

Hurricane Frances weakened to a tropical storm today and crawled inland with heavy rain after leaving two people dead and more than five million without power.

More than 13 inches (33cm) of rain fell along Florida’s central east coast, flooding some areas four feet (1.2 metres) deep, as a weakened Frances edged across the state toward Tampa and the Gulf of Mexico. In its wake, trees and power lines were flattened, broken traffic lights dangled and beachfront roads were littered with coconuts, avocados and tree limbs.

“I was just waiting for the house to blow down,” said Diane Wright, who rode out the storm in a mobile home in Fort Pierce.

Hers didn’t. But even shelters weren’t spared: the roof at a school housing evacuees was partially blown off.

The scope of the enormous storm was evident on Sunday as bands of rain and gusty wind extended the length of the state’s 430-mile (692-kilometre) east coast from the Keys to Jacksonville and beyond along the Georgia coast. It was expected to move into the panhandle today, then into Georgia and Alabama.

The storm was blamed for at least two deaths in Florida. In the Gainsville area, a man was killed when his car hit a tree, and a woman was killed in her living room when an oak tree crashed on to her mobile home.

There were two earlier deaths in the Bahamas, where thousands were forced from their homes.

Frances razed several mobile homes and made a mess of marinas, throwing dozens of pleasure boats against the shore or on top of each other.

Governor Jeb Bush and 20 state and federal emergency officials surveyed damage Sunday, but the governor said it was too early to assess the extent of the devastation.

Officials warned the aftermath could pose even greater risks.

“There are still dangers on our streets where the hurricane passed,” Mr Bush said. “Please be patient.”

President George Bush talked to his brother on Sunday afternoon to assure Floridians that federal resources were in place to help respond, a White House spokesman said.

Some 8,000 members of the National Guard were assigned to recovery efforts. Suspected looters were arrested in Palm Beach, Orange and Indian River counties.

Once a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 145mph (23 kph), Frances slowed and weakened to a Category 2 storm as it neared Florida. Winds receded to a peak of 105mph (169kph) before it made landfall at Sewall’s Point, north of Palm Beach, around 1am EDT (0600 BST).

Initial reports of destruction did not rival the estimated 7.4 billion dollars in insured damage caused by Hurricane Charley in south-west Florida three weeks ago.

Frances’s path overlapped with some of the area hit by Charley, which killed 27 people. One risk-assessment company estimated insured losses could range from 2 billion dollars to 5 billion dollars.

Early today, Frances remained a tropical storm, with maximum winds near 65mph (105kph) and its centre about 150 miles (240 kilometres) south-east of Tampa. The storm, which was heading west-north-west at 10mph (16kph), could regain hurricane strength over the Gulf of Mexico before renewing its plodding assault on the Florida Panhandle.

At one time, about 2.8 million residents in 40 counties were told to evacuate from coastal areas, barrier islands, mobile homes and low-lying areas. The largest evacuation in state history sent 108,000 people to shelters.

Airports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Martin County reopened, but those in Orlando and about 10 other cities remained closed. Officials in Miami and Fort Lauderdale told evacuees they could return home. Miami’s airport was crowded with tourists whose vacations were ruined or interrupted by Frances.

Heavy rain transformed some neighbourhoods into waterfront property. Roads in Palm Beach County were covered by up to four feet of water. Neighbours waded to each others’ homes after being shuttered inside for nearly 24 hours.

“All our trees are down and I have a few windows broken, but I don’t know what else is flooded because I can’t get anywhere,” said Carline Cadet, waving at the water covering the streets around her home.

Despite warnings, some evacuees were eager to venture out to inspect their homes.

Gabriela Balderas and her two children left the shelter at West Gate Elementary School in West Palm Beach to see what was left at their mobile home.

“We have been waiting so long to leave. They say we might not be able to get home, but we have to try,” she said.

Also on Sunday, at the peak of the hurricane season, Ivan became the fifth hurricane of the year in the central Atlantic.

It was about 625 miles (1,000 kilometres) east-south-east of Barbados and continued to strengthen with winds near 135mph (217kph).

Under current projections, Puerto Rico and Barbados are in the storm’s path. Officials said it was too soon to say whether Ivan would hit the United States.