Friends/Family in Florida? Don't Worry If You Can't Reach Them

[iamjoy]

After Charley - There are so many power outages, phones out - in some areas even cell phones aren't working. Also, some people are just trying to put their lives back together and may not be thinking about calling loved ones. I know I hung up with my sister (Washington DC) right after saying, "I think we're getting hit with the eye - it's getting really bad here" and didn't think to check back in to let her know I was okay until almost 12 hours later. Fortunately, I could still get a cell phone signal.

I came up to my mother's house in Altamone Springs tonite. Western Seminole County in Central Florida seems to have done relatively well (considering how close the eye passed).

added on edit
I know it is easier said not to worry than done...

[Philostopher]

1. Yeah, I'm trying not to get too outta sorts.

Mom and I are worried about one of my first cousins, though. He and his wife and kids live right on the waterway/canal in Cape Coral, which is not far south of downtown Ft. Myers. Originally, my aunt -- Mom's sister, as well as my uncle and one first cousin and his wife -- lived there, too, but the eldest of my cousins convinced them to move to Las Cruces, New Mexico (fairly calm weather there, as long as you don't drive long distances every day and encounter dust storms, or live in the mountains where the forest fires occur) about a decade ago; but they couldn't talk the middle cousin and his family into moving, though they tried.

Mom said she'd call me when she heard from the Las Cruces branch of the family that the relatives in Cape Coral were okay, but I still haven't heard from her. I sincerely hope they're okay -- he's the one who taught me most of what I know about Britpop and all I know about cars -- though I have severe reservations about the integrity of their home. I know, in my heart, that even if the house was razed to the ground that if they're in a shelter, they'll be okay ... still, I'll be a mite uneasy until somebody has direct connection with them!

[iamjoy]

2. If You Are Really Going Crazy...

American Red Cross or local emergency management may have an idea of the area damage. I think they are all without power. Downed trees and power lines are making it difficult for people to get through streets.

Cape Coral is south of Ft. Myers and the storm came ashore 20 miles north of Ft. Myers. From what I heard, the eye was about 12 miles across and hurricane force winds extended out 30 miles.