Hurricane Wilma

Cancun struggles after Wilma

resorts near full recovery

By WILL WEISSERT

Associated Press

CANCUN, Mexico - Five-star resorts stand battered and broken, crawling with construction crews that hammer and bulldoze, weld and re-plaster long into the night.

The discotheques are dark, many shopping centers and restaurants remain smashed, and the beaches have lost much of the sugar-white sand that made them famous.

Two-plus months after Hurricane Wilma, Cancun remains a shattered, shadow of itself.

"Everything we're used to isn't there," said Judy Gilliam, a school-bus driver from Methuen, Mass., who was vacationing and doing church missionary work here for the third time. "It's still the same place, but it doesn't really feel like it."

Cancun won't feel like Cancun for months, but many resorts on the nearby Riviera Maya have reopened and are nearly fully recovered.

Cozumel is again teeming with tourists arriving aboard cruise ships, though most of the island's top hotels remain closed, and officials say its coral reefs may need a century to recover from Wilma's wrath.

On Isla Mujeres, many hotels have reopened, as have scuba-diving expeditions.

"People should definitely come," said Linda Boechler, a financial adviser from Moose Jaw, Canada, who stayed in Playa del Carmen, the Riviera Maya's best-known destination. "Cancun was more damaged and will take longer. But everywhere else is pretty much normal."

Rebuilding begins...

CONTINUE

Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem

By Dr. Maya Angelou

Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes
And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses.
Flood waters await us in our avenues.

Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche
Over unprotected villages.
The sky slips low and grey and threatening.

We question ourselves.
What have we done to so affront nature?
We worry God.
Are you there? Are you there really?
Does the covenant you made with us still hold?

Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters,
Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope
And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air.
The world is encouraged to come away from rancor,
Come the way of friendship.

It is the Glad Season.
Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner.
Flood waters recede into memory.
Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us
As we make our way to higher ground.

Hope is born again in the faces of children
It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets.
Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things,
Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors.

In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now. It is louder.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.

We tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.

We clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas.
We beckon this good season to wait a while with us.
We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and Muslim, say come.
Peace.
Come and fill us and our world with your majesty.
We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian,
Implore you, to stay a while with us.
So we may learn by your shimmering light
How to look beyond complexion and see community.

It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.

On this platform of peace, we can create a language
To translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other.

At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ
Into the great religions of the world.
We jubilate the precious advent of trust.
We shout with glorious tongues at the coming of hope.
All the earth's tribes loosen their voices
To celebrate the promise of Peace.

We, Angels and Mortal's, Believers and Non-Believers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace. We look at our world and speak the word aloud.
Peace. We look at each other, then into ourselves
And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation.

Peace, My Brother.
Peace, My Sister.
Peace, My Soul.

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Greetings this is Margaret Saizan blogging live from Louisiana. This is my third Hurricane Blog of the 2005 Hurricane Season. I have blogged Hurricanes Katrina and Rita  which (as you know) roared into the Louisiana coast just three weeks apart. I thought I was finished with Hurricanes for this year but couldn't resist "chasing" Wilma once "she" tied the record to make 2005 the busiest hurricane seasons in recent history!  The address for this blog is www.hurricane-wilma.net.

Cancún still a mess from hurricane

RECOVERY DRAGGING; EXTENT OF DAMAGE DETERRING TOURISTS

CANCÚN, Mexico -- The government promised Cancún would be three-quarters recovered from Hurricane Wilma by today. But these days, bulldozers are easier to find than tourists in this beach resort. Luxury hotels normally packed for the winter season are closed to all but construction crews. Most discos, mini-mallsMost discos, mini-malls and swanky restaurants are dark. And while the turquoise waters of the Caribbean are as inviting as ever, they have gobbled up much of the famed white beach.

The Dec. 15 goal set by President Vicente Fox after the late October hurricane was impossible, said Gabriella Rodríguez, tourism secretary for Quintana Roo state, which includes Cancún.

``You want to reopen. But then you discover the damage to your building is more extensive than it seemed, or the insurer doesn't pay you on time,'' she said. More

Wilma hurts Mark Travel

Hurricane fallout cuts Mexico trips

The havoc wreaked on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula in October by Hurricane Wilma has dampened Mark Travel Corp.'s tour business to Cancun and surrounding areas.

The Bayside-based wholesale travel firm sends about a million passengers a year to Mexico through its vacation companies that include Funjet Vacations. Cancun and the Riviera Maya, an area south of Cancun that includes the city of Playa del Carmen and the Mayan ruins, are among the most popular tourist destinations.  MORE

Cuba: Wilma losses to top $704M

Hurricane Wilma had a steep price tag in Cuba, according to the Cuban government.

Losses from Hurricane Wilma surpassed $704 million in Cuba, the government announced Monday, for the first time offering a damage estimate on the devastating storm that flooded Havana before taking a swipe at South Florida in October.

Granma, Cuba's Communist Party daily newspaper, said the storm cost $704.2 million, including seven days of lost productivity in the days before and after the storm. After several days of preparations and evacuations, the hurricane hit Cuba on Oct. 23, causing an unprecedented storm surge in the capital, leaving many blocks in waist-high water.

Tougher requirements called for on skyscraper windows

It wasn't just Hurricane Wilma's winds that shattered the gleaming glass facades of so many South Florida skyscrapers

BY CURTIS MORGAN, ANDRES VIGLUCCI AND ERIKA BOLSTAD

It wasn't just Hurricane Wilma's winds that shattered the gleaming glass facades of so many South Florida skyscrapers. It was the junk flying around in that wind 40 stories off the ground -- jagged shards of glass and fist-size chunks of stucco.

That's something South Florida's high-velocity wind code doesn't address.

High-rise windows are designed to survive ''small missile'' impacts from debris like roof gravel, a standard tested by shooting pea-size metal balls at glass. MORE

Bahamas Rocked by "Tsunami" From Hurricane Wilma

Blake de Pastino in Grand Bahama, the Bahamas
National Geographic News

November 8, 2005

View "Photo Gallery: Hurricane Heaves 'Tsunami' on Bahamas Island">>

When Hurricane Wilma ripped through Florida two weeks ago, the devastation didn't stop once the storm left the U.S.

After cutting a swath from Marco Island to Miami, Wilma picked up new strength and made a change in course that local forecasts didn't predict. MORE

Wilma's strength still under review, weather experts say

Some weather experts say Hurricane Wilma might have been a Category 3 system as it barreled over South Florida. The National Hurricane Center in Miami-Dade County estimated the system was a Category 2. And a National Weather Service preliminary report said most of the region saw Category 1 winds. Will the Real Wilma please stand up?

Read the Article

Hurricane Wilma Update: Presidente Intercontinental Cancun Resort

MEXICO CITY - Presidente InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has now completed a full and accurate assessment of the Presidente InterContinental Cancun Resort following Hurricane Wilma. According to company officials who toured the property on November 16th, the hotel suffered no structural damage. In light of this property assessment, the Presidente InterContinental Cancun is set to reopen on March 1, 2006, following an extensive renovation and enhancement plan that will result in new services and facilities.  Continue

Insurance Stocks May Climb After Hurricanes

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - For insurance investors, it's a perverse reality: bad news is good news.

In the wake of this year's severe hurricane season, the insurance industry faces $40.8 billion in insured losses in the third quarter, according to ISO's Property Claim Services unit, making 2005 the costliest year in history for catastrophes.

Yet the S&P Property Casualty Insurance index climbed more than 6 percent in the last 3 months and year-to-date is up 14.6 percent.

So why are investors eager to plow money into an industry facing monumental losses?

Celebrate the End of Hurricane Season - Support Continuing Relief Efforts

Longwood, FL (PRWEB via PR Web Direct) November 8, 2005 -- The end of hurricane season spells relief for many Americans, but relief work doesn’t end on Nov. 30, the season’s official last day.

Americans can celebrate the end of this year’s devastating season by making a donation to the relief organization of their choice, says William J. Chatlos, president of The Chatlos Foundation.

To kick off this celebration, The Chatlos Foundation has contributed to several charities working with Hurricane Katrina victims, including Mercy Medical Airlift (MMA). Since the early 1970’s, MMA’s volunteer pilots have flown over 25,000 missions, transporting financially vulnerable people at no cost to get the medical treatment they need. Pilots donate their time and often their aircraft and the fuel. Chatlos observes that “people don’t volunteer unless they feel the organization they are supporting is accomplishing something important.”

Hurricane Katrina dramatically stepped up the pace for MMA. Edward R. Boyer, CEO and president of MMA, knows that “the stories and numbers will continue to grow. We expect to fly 6,000 missions in Katrina relief over and above our normal patient transport activities.”

Boyer is also chairman of the board of Angel Flight America, a network of unpaid “Earth Angels” who arrange the free flights and coordinate with pilots. “Using our volunteer pilots around the country (we have 6,200 of them – in all 50 states),” Boyer explains, “our Angel Flight operations have reunited hundreds of families – a huge number where parents were separated from their children.”

Since the hurricanes, Mercy Medical Airlift is managing the use of donated corporate jets with flight crews to transport relief workers, government employees, and disaster specialists, and to reunite evacuee families. Donated funds are urgently needed to cover expenses of coordinating these flights and responding to public needs. There is no charge to the public for MMA-provided transportation.

Chatlos admires the people of MMA. “What a blessing it is to know we Americans are still a people that know how to take care of one another.”

On December 1, celebrate twice. Give thanks first that the hurricane season has officially ended. Then give thanks – and a check – to an organization that continues to help so many others still in need.

To learn more about Mercy Medical Airlift and make a donation, visit http://www.mercymedical.org/.

About The Chatlos Foundation:
The Chatlos Foundation funds nonprofit organizations based in the USA. Support is provided to organizations currently exempt by the Internal Revenue Service of the United States. The Foundation's areas of interest are: Bible Colleges/Seminaries, Religious Causes, Medical Concerns, Liberal Arts, and Social Concerns.

Contact:
CJ Leff
The Chatlos Foundation
407-862-5077
http://www.chatlos.org

# # #

New Website on Hurricane Wilma in Cancun

Kristen Foote has put together a website with pictures and videos from Hurricane Wilma in Cancun from people who were there.  They are also selling shirts and all proceeds go directly to the people of Cancun.  She invites you to  check out this website. 

http://www.hurricanewilmacancun.com

Mexico's Caribbean tourism resurfacing

By Jayne Clark, USA TODAY

Even as Mexican tourism officials sound the all-clear for parts of its Caribbean playground ravaged by Hurricane Wilma last month, potential visitors may find the destination cumbersome and costly to access thanks to cutbacks in air service among U.S. carriers.

		In Cancun: Hurricane Wilma left a swath of destruction in October, and only about 20% of the area's hotel rooms have reopened.
		Israel Leal, AP

American Airlines, a major player in the market, won't resume normal schedules until February, though it has added flights in December to meet holiday demand. United, Delta and Continental also have reduced service until at least mid-December. US Airways resumes its full schedule Dec. 1.

In the meantime, officials hoping to salvage the lucrative winter season are trying to balance visitor expectations with post-Wilma realities.

"We want to be very direct with people so (they) can decide whether they want to go," says Mexican tourism minister Rodolfo Elizondo. Clearly, officials hope they will, given that the region generates 38% of the nation's foreign visitor revenue.  MORE

Cancun Area Hotel Damage Report - FREE!

The Cancun Travel Guide has published a free comprehensive Cancun Area Hotel Damage Report. They do ask for a donation, but you are not required to donate in order to access the information.  They also have an intense photograph of Punta Cancun, the Riu Hotels, & Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach when the hurricane was battering the area - shows the boulevard Kukulkan with the lagoon waters flooding. 11/09/05 - Today the photograph on the front page of their "Wilma Report" is of a picture taken by a NASA satellite on Oct/20/2005 when Hurricane Wilma was approaching to the Cozumel Island - very cool image!

Latin America and the Caribbean - Hurricane Season 2005*: Fact Sheet #1(FY 2006)

Source: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Date: 07 Nov 2005

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)

BACKGROUND

- The 2005 hurricane season brought an unprecedented 13 hurricanes to date, of which three—Stan, Wilma, and Beta—caused devastation in parts of Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Cuba, and the Bahamas. In July, hurricanes Dennis and Emily impacted Cuba, Haiti, and Grenada.

- On July 8, Hurricane Dennis made landfall in central Cuba bringing sustained winds of up to 150 mph and triggering sea surges, floods, landslides, and heavy rains which affected Haiti as well.

- On July 14, Hurricane Emily passed near Grenada as a category one hurricane with 90 mile per hour winds.

- On October 4, Hurricane Stan made landfall south of Veracruz, Mexico, with sustained winds of 80 miles per hour, before weakening to a tropical storm and generating severe flooding across southern Mexico and Central America.

- Hurricane Wilma hovered for more than 24 hours near the Yucatan Peninsula before making landfall in Cozumel, Mexico, on October 22, as a category four hurricane.

- Hurricane Beta made landfall on October 30, near Karabal and Sandy Bay, Nicaragua, as a category two hurricane.

NUMBERS AT A GLANCE		SOURCE
Nicaragua	13,750 severely affected, nearly 900 in shelters (Stan) 5,763 in shelters (Beta)	Government of Nicaragua – October 24 Government of Nicaragua – November 3
Guatemala	669 dead, 31,971 in shelters, 474,928 directly affected and/or displaced (Stan)	Government of Guatemala(1) - October 25
Mexico	15 dead, 1.5 million affected, 370,000 displaced (Stan) 7 dead, 1million affected, 300,000 displaced (Wilma)	OCHA(2) October 23 OCHA – October 25
Honduras	11,000 displaced, 7,700 in shelters (Beta)	Government of Honduras – October 31
El Salvador	68 dead, 26,000 in shelters (Stan)	Government of El Salvador – October 13 National Emergency Committee (COEN) – October 18
Costa Rica	459 communities affected, 1,074 evacuated (Stan)	Government of Costa Rica(3) October 6
Cuba	16 dead, 73,000 homeless (Dennis) 4,200 in shelters, 11 of 14 provinces affected (Wilma)	Government of Cuba National Civil Defense OCHA - October 28
Bahamas	1,500 displaced, 200 homes damaged/destroyed (Wilma)	Government of the Bahamas(4) - October 28
Haiti	40 dead, 15,000 affected (Dennis)	Government of Haiti – July 15
Grenada	1,650 initially displaced, 2,641 homes damaged/destroyed (Emily)	OCHA – July 16

Total USAID/OFDA 2005 Hurricane Season Assistance to
Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean: $5,904,066(5)

Total USAID 2005 Hurricane Season Assistance to
Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean: $8,919,466(6)

CURRENT SITUATION

USAID/OFDA Team Deployment

More than 22 USAID/OFDA staff, working closely with USAID Missions and U.S. Embassy staff, have deployed to countries affected by Tropical Storm Stan, Hurricane Wilma, and Hurricane Beta over the last three weeks—including Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, the Bahamas, Nicaragua, and Honduras—to assess damages, identify needs, and coordinate assistance with local disaster officials.7 As of November 3, a seven-member USAID/OFDA team remains in Nicaragua, and a two-member USAID/OFDA team is in Honduras, augmenting the ongoing efforts of USAID/OFDA’s Latin America- and Caribbean-based consultants.

Footnotes

* The 2005 hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30, 2005.

(1) Government of Guatemala’s National Council for Disaster Reduction (CONRED)

(2) The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

(3) Government of Costa Rica’s National Commission for the Prevention of Risks and Attention to Emergencies (CNE)

(4)Bahamian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)

(5) Total USAID/OFDA FY 2005 Assistance for the 2005 Hurricane Season was $291,119. Total FY 2006 USAID/OFDA Assistance for the 2005 Hurricane Season was $5,612,947.

(6) Total USAID FY 2005 Assistance for the 2005 Hurricane Season was $291,119. Total USAID FY 2006 Assistance for the 2005 Hurricane Season

Full report (pdf* format - 153 KB)

(*)Get Adobe Acrobat Viewer (free)

Electric Service for 3,065,000 Impacted by Hurricane Wilma Restored by FPL and Assisting Crews

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 2005--More than 94 percent of Florida Power & Light Company customers impacted by Hurricane Wilma have received electric service back as of this morning. The company remains on track for 95 percent of its customers being restored by tomorrow.

Restoration is expected to be essentially complete in Palm Beach County later today. FPL asks customers in that area to call 1-800-4OUTAGE if they are still without power. Restoration workers will remain in the area to manage any localized service problems. The restoration will continue to converge on the remaining hard hit areas in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

In some cases, customers may ask why their neighbors across the street have power but they don't; it may be that their neighbor is on a different power line. In that case, FPL crews will make the needed repairs as they work their way down the wire. If their neighbors on the same side of the street have power but they don't, then they may all be on the same power line, and the following steps are recommended: Reset circuit breakers by actually switching each breaker OFF and then back to the ON position. Next, check the home's connection to FPL by looking at the meter, the box that holds it, and connected pipes and wires on the wall of the building. If the meter box, pipe or wires are bent or broken, repairs may be needed before FPL can restore power. If it looks damaged, the customer should contact a licensed electrician and avoid touching damaged equipment. If the meter itself is damaged, FPL crews will replace it when they arrive in the area. If these steps don't identify the problem, then the transformer or line serving the building needs to be repaired by FPL. Crews will make the needed repairs as they work their way down the wire towards that customer.

Many FPL customers will receive an estimated bill this month, as some meter readers are assisting with the restoration effort. Restoring power is the top priority, and nearly every FPL employee is involved. The company takes care to make sure customers are only billed for the electricity they actually use, including taking account of the days they were without power. Any difference between the estimate and a customer's actual use will be adjusted automatically - when FPL reads that meter again.

FPL encourages everyone to remain vigilant about safety. Be aware that downed power lines may be concealed by vegetation. Consider any line to be energized and please stay away.

To see a break-down by county of residents who are Out or Restored Go here.

Emergency Preparedness for Students

Through the continued generous support of The Allstate Foundation, the American Red Cross Masters of Disaster® natural hazards curriculum activities have been translated into Spanish and are now available for downloading.

The design of the Masters of Disaster® curriculum encourages teachers and students to share safety information with other family members. The complementary Spanish and English activity sheets will help educators help students who speak Spanish and English to share important life-saving preparedness information with their families at home, where Spanish may be the only language spoken. Because educators and schools have limited resources, these materials can be downloaded at no cost with the option of downloading an activity of your choice in English, Spanish, or both to optimize use in the classroom and in reaching entire families.

For more information see the Red Cross Website.

Aircraft Missions Into Hurricane Wilma

Wilma missions 2005

Below are mission summaries for Wilma aircraft missions.

October 24, 2005

2005/10/24/NOAA 49 #1

October 23, 2005

2005/10/23/NOAA 42
2005/10/23/NOAA 49 #1

October 22, 2005

2005/10/22/NOAA 42
2005/10/22/NOAA 49 #1
2005/10/22/NOAA 49 #2

October 21, 2005

2005/10/21/NOAA 49 #1
005/10/21/NOAA 49 #2

October 20, 2005

2005/10/20/NOAA 42
2005/10/20/NOAA 49 #1
005/10/20/NOAA 49 #2

October 18, 2005

2005/10/18/NOAA 49

Source: The Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) is one of the Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) Facilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA/AOML is a part of the US Department of Commerce (DOC) and is located in Miami, Florida. AOML's mission is to conduct basic and applied research in oceanography, tropical meteorology, atmospheric and oceanic chemistry, and acoustics. The research seeks to understand the physical characteristics and processes of the ocean and the atmosphere, both separately and as a coupled system

Hurricane Book List

GENERAL:

Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes

Kerry Emanuel
ISBN-10: 0195149416 (cloth)
Oxford University Press, 2005

Kerry Emanuel is Professor of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science at MIT. Emanuel has written for American Scientist and Nature, among other publications. His most recent well-known and controversial study was published in the August issue of Nature magazine discussing the correlation between global warming and hurricanes.

Book Reviews

Author's Book Site

Hurricane Camille: Monster Storm of the Gulf Coast
Philip D. Hearn
ISBN-10: 1578066557 (cloth)
University Press of Mississippi, 2004

Philip D. Hearn, a longtime Mississippi news reporter and editor, is a research writer for the university relations office of Mississippi State University. His work has been published in Army Reserve magazine, Vietnam Magazine, and many newspapers.

See Book Reviews

What Does Current Scientific Research Have to Say About the Present and Future Risks Associated With Hurricanes?

Professor Kerry Emanuel, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

Book Reviews

Author's Book Site

The online video of the symposium is available via the links below and through MIT World.
Use the links below to select a connection speed

Real 220k

Real 56k

REQUIREMENTS:
You will need the free Basic RealPlayer (8 or higher) to view the symposium.

 

Cozumel Hotel Information

Official Information on the status of Hotels in Cozumel was just released from the Hotel Association of Cozumel. This comprehensive report can be accessed here.

Websites About Wilma Recovery in Cozumel

Ian Campbell has put up a great site on the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma in Cozumel. The site features some great photos, lots of news updates & aftermath reports.  The web address for the site is as follows:

http://www.wilmacozumel.com/

Another really useful site featuring Wilma damage reports & travel information to Cozumel can be viewed at  http://www.cometocozumel.com/

Tourism boosters thankful for other news distractions

Local tourism boosters say national media lost interest in Wilma, sparing would-be tourists from seeing South Florida at its worst.

BY DOUGLAS HANKS III

dhanks@herald.com

Broward County's tourism director wants to thank Harriet Miers for abandoning her Supreme Court bid.

Right-wing gloating? No, but Nicki Grossman credits the Miers confirmation saga with bumping Hurricane Wilma from the national media's radar screen last week.

''Thanks to Hurricane Harriet, we were kept off the front pages of most of the major papers for the bad stuff,'' said Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau.

This year has brought frustration for South Florida's tourism industry, which lives and dies on image. A record-breaking hurricane season stretched into the Greek alphabet for the first time. Storms disrupted some of the region's top events, from the MTV Video Music Awards barely dodging Hurricane Katrina to a huge public-relations convention getting washed out by Wilma.

Cancun to reopen by Christmas

Despite the Mexican leader's pledge, officials hired to assess the damage say it will take far longer.Cancun, Mexico - Mexican President Vicente Fox says the seaside resort of Cancún, devastated by Hurricane Wilma, will be rebuilt by Christmas. Hotel operators and engineers say it can't be done.

"To repair the hotels 100 percent will take eight months," said Alejandro Ortiz, an engineer hired by Europe's largest travel company, TUI AG, to assess losses.  MORE

Travel notes - Hurricane Wilma

HURRICANE DAMAGE UPDATES. For people planning a trip to Wilma-whipped areas, here's what you need to know: Cancun and Cozumel: Both were hit hard and will not be tourist-ready for some time. Look for updates at www.cancun.info and www.islacozumel.com.mx. A few hotels in Cancun are set to reopen Dec. 20, while others said they will not accept reservations until the end of January.


Riviera Maya: The area south of Cancun suffered less damage. After the hurricane, officials said that 65 percent of hotels were fine, and that most of the damaged ones would be ready within 45 days, with only about 10 percent taking two to three months to reopen. Until the official Web site can be updated (www.rivieramaya.com), information is available at www.10gatesrivieramaya.com

Florida: Naples, Fort Lauderdale and Miami were hit with major power outages and wind damage but little major structural damage. The Keys are open to tourists, but officials noted that the landscaping at some resorts was "significantly impacted" and that some attractions might take extra time to recover. For updates, go to www.fla-keys.com or www.visitflorida.com

The hurricane season that started June 1 ends Nov. 30. But already, the Atlantic basin has had 12 hurricanes, compared with the historic average: 5.8. Most hurricanes occur in August and September (28.7 and 36.3 percent, respectively), said Frank Lepore, spokesman with the National Hurricane Center. October is the third worst month, at nearly 18 percent. The norm for November: 4.4 percent.

FARE INCREASE. Amtrak is taking a cue in revenue management from the airlines and is now charging passengers extra for last-minute seats. The new structure is based on the level of sales prior to departure. The more popular the route, such as the Northeast Corridor Metroliner or Acela on a Friday afternoon, the higher the last-minute rate.

Compiled from wire service reports

Wilma affects ship itineraries

Cruise lines are substituting ports of call until Cozumel, Cancún and other popular stops clean up and reopen.

By Mary Lu Abbott, Special to The Times

PASSENGERS will have to skip Cozumel on their Caribbean cruises for the next several weeks and will find new ports of call on their itineraries, thanks to Hurricane Wilma, which hit late last month and damaged the piers at the Mexican resort island off the Yucatán coast.

Cruise lines say they will return to Cozumel as soon as possible. Until the piers are repaired, some lines, including Carnival, will send passengers in on tenders, smaller boats that shuttle passengers to the island.

Read the Article

Cancun Convention & Visitors Burea Report

November 2, 2005

Cancun, Quintana Roo MEXICO 

Through a process of interviews with hotel owners, executives, and front-line employees, the Hotel Association of Quintana Roo State, in coordination with the Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau, has the following information to report as of November 2, 2005:

Of Cancun’s 27,822 available lodging units, the following re-opening schedule is expected:

Date:	Lodging Units in Operation:
Nov. 4, 2005	5,200
Nov. 25, 2005	8,700
Dec. 15, 2005	15,800
Dec. 23, 2005	16,800
Jan. 15, 2006	20,900

Ø As of today, the following resorts are open and hosting guests: all hotels of the chain Royal Resorts, the Hotel Casa Maya, Best Western Clipper Club, Hotel Club Verano Beat.

Hotel opening in the coming days include:

§  Le Meridien.- 16 November

§  Gran Costa Real.- 1 December

§  Nichupté Holistic Spa.- 1 December

§  Secrets Excellence.- 1 December

§  NH Krystal.- 15 December

§  Gran Caribe Real.- 15 December (Tower section only)

§  Dreams Cancún.- 15 December

§  Moon Palace Sunrise.- 20 December

§  Oasis Viva.- 20 December

§  Oasis Beach.- 20 December

§  Cancún Palace.- 1 February, 2006

§  Beach Palace.- 1 February, 2006

§  Sun Palace.- 1 February, 2006

§  Moon Palace Nizuc.- 1 February, 2006

§  Le Blanc.- 1 April, 2006

§  Gran Oasis.- 1 February, 2006

§  Oasis Cancun.- 1 February, 2006

§  Oasis Playa.- 1 February, 2006

o         Attractions & Marinas:

§   Dolphin Discovery.- Now Open (Puerto Aventuras)

§   Ecocolors.- 10 November (ecological tours)

§   Lobster Dinner Cruise – Now Operating

§   Dolphin Discovery- 14 November (Isla Mujeres)

§   Marina Aquatour.- 14 November (jungle tours)

§   Marina Aqua Fun-  Now Operating (mangrove tours)

§   Marina Blue Ray- Now Open (jungle tours)

o         Shopping Centers :

§   Plaza Flamingo- 15 December

§   Luxury Avenue- 7 November

§   Plaza Kukulcán- 7 November

o         Convention Center:

§   Cancún Center & Exhibitions.- 8 November

o         Eco-Adventure Parks:

§   Parque Xel – Ha.- 1 December

§   Parque Xcaret.- 12 December

o         Dining:

§   Restaurante Cenacolo- Now  Open

§   Restaurante la Parrilla- Now Open

§   Restaurante Hong Kong- Now Open

§   Restaurante Casa Rolandi- Now Open

§   Restaurante La Dolce Vitta- Now  Open

§   Restaurante Hacienda Ziza.- Now Open

§   Restaurante Alfredo Di Roma- Now Open

§   Restaurante Puerto Madero- 5 November

§   Restaurante Pizza Rolandi- Now Open

§   Restaurante Bubba Gump.- 15 December

§   Restaurante Outback- 15 December

§   Restaurante Margarita Ville- 15 December

§   Restaurante Pat O’brien- 15 December

Ø As for beaches conditions, a detailed inventory is being prepared. At present, the area between the Riu Cancun toward the downtown/mainland (facing the Bahía de Mujeres) has actually had its beaches expanded (Presidente Inter-Continental, Oasis Viva, Ambiance Villas, Villas Tacul, Barcelo las Perlas, Blue Bay, Riu Caribe, etc)

Ø The Cancun International Airport initiated normal operations November 1, including nighttime operations. Both charter and scheduled carriers have resumed service.

Ø The Cancun Center convention facility will resume normal operations by November 8, 2005.

Ø Regarding Cancun’s golf facilities, local courses report the following:

Open Date:	Golf Course:
Now Open	Playacar
Now Open	Mayan Palace
Nov. 12, 2005	Iberostar Golf Course
Nov. 15, 2005	Cozumel Country Club
Nov. 30, 2005	Moon Palace
Dec. 15, 2005	Hilton Cancun
Dec. 15, 2005	Cancun Golf Culb at Pok ta Pok
Jan. 15, 2006	Fairmont Mayakoba
April 2006	Playa Mujeres

Ø As of today, some 40 tourist-quality restaurants are open and many others will open within the next week.

Ø All of the region’s archaeological sites will be open to visitors as of November 7.

  Local travel agencies and DMC’s (destination management companies) are open for business.

Ø The majority of Cancun’s discos and nightclubs will be operating as of November 4.

Ø All of Cancun’s wedding organizers are operating normally, in conjunction with hotel re-opening schedules (see above details).

Additional updates will be provided daily, with postings at www.cancun.info.

Cancun, Florida Keys recovering from storms

Hurricane Wilma hit hard in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and southern Florida in late October. For those planning a trip to the areas, Click Here to get updates on conditions.

Alaska Airlines Suspends Cancun Flights Through Dec. 14 Following Hurricane Wilma

Alaska Airlines' regularly scheduled air service to Cancun International Airport is suspended through Dec. 14 as a result of Hurricane Wilma. The carrier ceased its one daily flight between Los Angeles and Cancun, Mexico, on Wednesday, Oct. 19. "While we are eager to resume flights to Cancun, it is apparent that hurricane damage to resorts has significantly lowered demand for air service to the region," said Gregg Saretsky, Alaska's executive vice president of marketing and planning. "We will continue to monitor the local situation and resume flights in coordination with an increase in demand."

The carrier has arranged transportation out of the Cancun region for about 300 passengers. Alaska has re-opened its ticket counter at Cancun's airport and closed its relief station at the office of the U.S. Consulate. Passengers who remain in Cancun are encouraged to seek assistance at the airport ticket counter or call 001-800-ALASKAAIR.

Alaska has established a policy to assist ticketed passengers whose travel plans have been impacted by the hurricane. Details on the policy and the status of Cancun flights are available at the carrier's Web site at alaskaair.com.

Alaska serves six other Mexican resort destinations from Los Angeles International Airport, including Loreto, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and Mazatlan. The carrier also flies to Guadalajara and Mexico City.

Alaska Airlines and sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve 88 cities through an expansive network throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico. For reservations visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air newsroom at http://newsroom.alaskaair.com/ .

SOURCE
-0- 02/11/2005
/CONTACT: CONTACT: Amanda Tobin, +1-206-392-5134, or Caroline Boren,+1-206-392-5799, both of Alaska Airlines
/Web Site: Web site: http://www.alaskaair.com/

CO: Alaska Airlines
ST: Washington
IN: AIR TRN
SU:

Le Méridien Cancun set to reopen

Le Méridien's Cancun Resort & Spa in Mexico is set to reopen later this month following its closure due to the effects of Hurricane Wilma.

From 16 November, the majority of the hotel's guest rooms will be available, as will the Aioli Restaurant and the Rendez-Vous bar, however there wil only be a limited room service and pool service on offer.

The Spa del Mar and the Martiniere ballroom will remain closed for repairs until further notice.

General manager Jean-Pierre Sorin said that no guests or staff were seriously injured during the hurricane and that the hotel had not sustained any major structural damage. "I am confident that Cancun will be fully restored and operational by the end of the year," he said.

Le Méridien's Sunny Isles Beach property in Miami, Florida, suffered minor damage during the hurricane, but remained open. Details: www.lemeridien.com

Frontier resuming Cancun flights, adding another

Friday November 4, 12:38 pm ET

Frontier Airlines expects to resume all of its flights to Cancun by the end of the month. The flights were canceled as Hurricane Wilma struck the area in October.

Denver-based Frontier (NASDAQ: FRNT - News) says the flights will resume from some cities beginning Nov. 5. The airline has five flights to Cancun. The airline will begin offering a new route, between Indianapolis and Cancun, starting in March. MORE

Cancun/Cozumel Area Hotel Status Report - Apple Vacations

Apple Vacations has also published a Cancun Area Status Report. To see the Cancun report click here.

For  Mayan Riviera Hotels go here.

For Cozumel Hotel Damage Reports click here.

Cancun Airline Travel Advisories

Cancun Travel Advisories for persons travelling with:

Delta
Continental
Northwest Airlines
United
Frontier Airlines
Mexicana
Aeromexico
Air Canada

Florida has post-Wilma shelter crisis

MIAMI, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Authorities report a housing and shelter crisis in South Florida in the wake of Hurricane Wilma with funds and space running out.

The Red Cross says it can no longer afford to house evacuees in hotels and the Salvation Army has run out of beds. Government housing officials report few vacancies as the number of South Florida housing units deemed uninhabitable in the wake of Wilma grew to more than 13,000.

The Miami Herald reported a glimmer of hope with the announcement by the Federal Emergency Management Agency of 200 trailers and mobile homes en route to Broward County, which bore the brunt of the hurricane.

Wilma was "the most damaging storm to hit our area since 1950," causing more than $350 million in damage to Broward's infrastructure, said Mayor Kristin Jacobs.

About 11,000 of the houses, apartments, condominiums and mobile homes tagged unsafe since the storm are in Broward.

Hurricane Wilma Strikes the Yucatan

Full Image

Hurricane Wilma remained a powerful Category 4 storm when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite took this image at 12:25 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, on Friday, October 21, 2005. Two days earlier, Wilma had surged from tropical storm to Category 5 hurricane in record time. Winds around the eyewall of the storm were raging at 280 kilometers per hour (175 miles per hour). National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) aircraft had also measured a record-low air pressure of 882 millibars in the center of Hurricane Wilma, making it the most intense hurricane ever observed in the Atlantic basin.

Since then, Wilma has lost some of her history-making strength, but this is little comfort to those in her path. In this image, the storm eye is about to cross Cozumel, a small island just off the Yucatan Peninsula coast. Winds were peaking at 230 km/hr (145 mph) as the eyewall passed over the island, and hurricane-strength winds extended for 130 kilometers (85 miles) from the storm’s center. As of Friday afternoon, Wilma was projected to continue into the Gulf of Mexico, bringing powerful winds and heavy rain to both western Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula before turning toward southern Florida. Florida residents have already begun to prepare for the storm’s arrival.

Terra MODIS data acquired by direct broadcast at the University of South Florida (Judd Taylor)
Image processed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Liam Gumley)

Wilma/Cancun Blog - Stories from the people that saw it first hand.

Just got sent a link for a terrific blog: Hurricane Wilma in Cancun: Stories from the people that saw it firsthand...Lots of great stories & photos.

Wilma The Silent Storm

Though it may be impossible to prove without empirical evidence, modern science suggests that even if a tree falls in a forest where no one can hear it, it does make a sound.

And if a hurricane the size of Wilma slams into Florida, it does have a major impact. Those of us not living there may be in some doubt, however, because Wilma has generated little of the national reaction that Katrina or Rita did. Nevertheless, the storm has left at least 21 dead in Florida, more in the Caribbean, and has disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands.

READ THE STORY

US withdraws offer to send hurricane team to Cuba

WASHINGTON: The United States (US) has effectively withdrawn an offer to send a US team to longtime foe Cuba to assess damage from Hurricane Wilma, saying President Fidel Castro had politicised the mission.  Read the Article.

NASA Images: Wilma plus 21 Named Storms from the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season

This visualization shows sea surface temperatures during most of the 2005 hurricane season. Overlaid are infrared cloud data, storm track data, and storm name labels. Ocean temperatures are the fuel that drive hurricanes. Notice the correspondence between the storm tracks and the sea surface temperature response; this is particulary noticable for hurricanes Dennis, Emily, and Katrina. This versions shows a wide view of the Gulf of Mexico and Western Atlantic Ocean.

This visualization includes all of the named storms from Arlene though Wilma; however, Vince is not within the camera's view since it was in the Portugal/Spain region. Wilma ties the record for the most named Atlantic tropical storms in recorded history; and, the list of seleced names for this season is exhausted. If any other storms form after Wilma, they will be named after the Greek alphabet (starting with Alpha).

To see images & data on the other 21 named storms go here

Wilma's death toll rises to 21 in Florida

FLORIDA: The death toll from Hurricane Wilma rose to 21 in Florida, after state emergency officials reportedFLORIDA: The death toll from Hurricane Wilma rose to 21 in Florida, after state emergency officials reported seven more deaths on Saturday in the storm's aftermath. The deaths brought the total number of casualties from the storm which pummeled Mexico, Haiti and Jamaica before hitting Florida to 38. Some people died during cleanup, others were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning or traffic accidents during power outages, Florida emergency officials said...

Read the Article

The Struggle For Power Post Wilma

(CBS/AP) Florida Power and Light says it's restored electricity to 60 percent of the customers who lost power because of Hurricane Wilma.

But there are still hundreds of thousands of people in the dark -- and utility officials say it could be close to Thanksgiving before power is fully restored MORE

TRACKING TROPICAL STORM BETA...CLICK HERE

Holidays hit by Hurricane Wilma

Tour operators have cancelled thousands of holidays to storm-affected regions of the Gulf of Mexico, following the devastation of Hurricane Wilma.

Tens of thousands of tourists were left stranded and 17 people were killed when the hurricane left a trail of destruction across coastal areas of Mexico, Florida and Cuba.

Holidays to Cancun in Mexico operated by members of the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO), which represents 70 per cent of Britain's package holiday industry, have been cancelled until November 6 at the earliest.

Tours to the worst hit areas of Florida, including the Keys, Naples, Marco Island and Fort Lauderdale, will resume on Monday. Holidays to Miami and Cuba, which were less badly affected, have restarted.

MORE

Cancun Hotel Damage Reports on Specific Resort

Updated 3:10 PM 10/28/05

Cancun Local News  has insider information on damaged areas in Cancun, and they are building a comprehensive list of  specific hotels and resorts and their status at this time. They are asking for a small donation to access this information, the amount at your discretion. If you are planning a trip to Cancun, and are wondering whether you should go and/or the status of your resort,  the donation to access these pages may well worth it. I have no affiliation with Cancun Local News and am only providing this information as a public service. The resort information they provide at this time is in regards to the Palace Resorts - Moon Palace, Sunrise Palace, Beach Palace, Le Blanc Spa Resort, Cancun Palace, Sun Palace, Adventura Spa Palace...I will keep this updated to let you know when new information on specific hotels and resorts is forthcoming at their site.

3:11 PM 10/28/05 - Cancun Local News Now Has Information on these Specific Resorts:

The Caribbean Princess Cancun

Nichupte Holistic Spa

Aquasol Club Cancun

Torre Dor

Blue Bay Getaway

Blue Bay Club

Hotel Oasis Beach

Hotel Dos Playas

Club Internacional de Cancun

Hotel Riu Caribe

Palace Resorts

Presidente Intercontinental

Ambiance Villas

Hotel Miramar Mision

Fiesta Americana Grand Aqua

The Ritz CarltonRoyal Sands

Solymar Cancun

Hotetur Beach Paradise

The damage report contain the damages of each hotel in the hotel zone, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal, Tulum & Cozumel area for you to take the best decision to travel to this region in a near future. This report could save you money and headaches for your next vacation. Help us to cover the expenses to make this report, we need it to pay reporters fees, travel expenses to the affected areas, webmaster fees, etc. Any donation from $2.00 and up is welcome. Only donors will have access to the full report.

Donor's Access Area

Service exclusive for donors, it contains pictures and detailed report about Wilma aftermath.

Wilma's Damage Report

Hurricane Theories About How to Circumvent Them

27/09/2005 11:55  - (SA) 

Washington - Long before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, governments and engineers with lively imaginations have come up with a few strange ideas on how to combat nature's wrath.

Hurricanes fail to inspire awe among these advocates of man-made anti-storm schemes. While others try to evacuate, these inventors draw up plans to seed clouds, spill oil, set up windmills and even drop atomic bombs to soften the blow of lethal hurricanes.  Read the Article

Castro accepts US Wilma aid

Havana - President Fidel Castro confirmed on Thursday that Cuba would accept United States help in rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Wilma struck the island.

"We have no objection at all that the three US officials visit us to give their assessments and hold an exchange on these matters," Castro said on state television, reading a letter to the US interests section in Havana.

US state department spokesperson Sean McCormack said the US offered on Monday to send in a needs-assessment team after the storm, which knocked out power and forced the evacuation of some 260 000 Cubans.

It was the first time in US state department memory the Marxist island state has said yes to US largesse.

Read the Article

President Reassures Those Hit by Wilma

Associated Press
Friday, October 28, 2005; Page A14 

POMPANO BEACH, Fla., Oct. 27 -- President Bush on Thursday promised a robust response to Hurricane Wilma, offering reassurance that things will improve soon for victims who are angry that supplies have been slow in coming. MORE

Time-lapse video: Wilma's landfall

Time-lapse video: Wilma's landfall

From the Weather Channel, this video is pretty awesome. It really reveals the power of a Hurricane...and after watching Wilma make landfall & increase its strength, you can see why there is so much devastation in the aftermath.  It only a takes a couple of minute to watch the video in its entirety - I highly reccomend it.