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A Look Back at When Hurricane Andrew Hit Southwest Florida

The Category 5 hurricane swept through South Florida 25 years ago.

BY August 24, 2017

This week marks the 25th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew. The storm ripped across Florida, its 175-hour winds devastating communities. More than $1 billon worth of damage was done in the state; at least 15 people directly lost their lives due to Andrew. It was one of the worst hurricanes to ever hit the United States. Here in Southwest Florida, we didn't feel the full force of the storm, but it did cause tens of millions worth of damage in Collier County, flooding parts of Marco Island and leaving the village of Goodland in tatters. The Naples community was shaken but relieved. In the words of Gulfshore Life editor Tim Whitaker, who wrote in our October 1992 issue: "Over the next several weeks, one phrase was repeated over and over again around town: 'We were very fortunate.'"

In that October issue, we also ran a photo spread taken by Scott Serio and Bruce Moyer, courtesy of the Naples Daily News.

Sunshine Spieth, a 20-year Naples resident, took a stroll on the Naples Pier at the height of the storm.

 

Hours after Andrew went to sea, surfers took to the beach.

 

A downed power line on U.S. 41

 

A mother and her two children head toward an emergency shelter at Lely High School.

 

A message for the storm (and its predecessors) at Boat Haven on U.S. 41

 

 

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