Hurricane Opal pummels Gulf Coast

Storm weakening as it heads inland

October 5, 1995
Web posted at: 2 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT)

PENSACOLA, Florida and CLAYTON COUNTY, Georgia (CNN) -- Cities along the U.S. Gulf Coast looked like ghost towns Wednesday night as Hurricane Opal battered the area. Opal crashed into Florida's panhandle late Wednesday, tearing up beaches, ripping roofs off buildings and flooding homes and roads. (663K Quicktime movie)

The storm was weakening as it made its way across land. At 12 a.m. EDT (0400 GMT), the storm was centered 25 miles north of Montgomery, Alabama, moving north-northeast at 23 miles an hour. Top sustained winds were down to 75 miles an hour. Waves were at least 12 feet above normal and could rise. Police and National Guardsmen have been mobilized to prevent looting and help with the cleanup.

Georgia could be pummeled by the strongest winds and heaviest rain in 15 years. Already, there was flooding. Hurricane warnings remained in effect from Anclote Key, Florida, to the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The storm, the latest in the busiest Atlantic hurricane season on record, spawned tornadoes, stirred wind gusts that reached 144 miles per hour and was blamed for at least one death. Tens of thousands evacuated, clogging roads before the storm hit.

Heavy rains preceded the tornadoes throughout the Southeast region. A Delta 727 overshot the runway at Hartsfield Airport in Atlanta and got stuck in wet grass and mud. None of the 133 people on board were hurt, and though the runway was shut down, it caused no flight delays because it was off peak time, airport officials said.

The worst damage reports came from cities east of where the storm came ashore. Power outages were widespread.

Hank Christen with Emergency Management in Okaloosa County reported severe damage around the cities of Destin, Mary Esther and Fort Walton Beach. Okaloosa Island also took a hit. "I would consider it severe damage at this time," he told CNN.

With 10- to 15-foot storm surges hitting the coast of Okaloosa County, Christen said boats and cars were floating, roofs were missing, and first floors of buildings were inundated with water.

He reported massive debris, downed power lines and trees. "We have 911 calls holding that we can't get to," Christen told CNN, stressing search and rescue operations were the main concern Wednesday evening.

Initial reports out of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, to the west of the storm's center, indicated there was less damage than when Hurricane Erin hit earlier this tropical storm season. The two counties surround Pensacola. Jeff Mullendore with Escambia County Emergency Management told CNN there was debris on the roads, downed trees and power lines, but no major damage to homes or other buildings.

He told CNN the highest wind gust measured in Escambia, to the west of the center of the storm, was 65 miles per hour. He said nearly 60 percent of homes were without power by 7:30 p.m. eastern time. "There's not nearly as much damage as from Hurricane Erin," Mullendore told CNN.

Twenty miles east, in Santa Rosa county, Skip Dugger with Emergency Management said there were downed trees and power lines and a few stray roofing shingles in the streets, but nothing more severe than that.

Continued next page

Hurricane Opal pummels Gulf Coast

Storm weakening as it heads inland

Continued next page

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