South Florida Remembers 25th Anniversary of Hurricane Andrew
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NBC 6’s Julia Bagg, a Miami native, takes us back to the moments a quarter century ago that changed the area forever.
It was a moment that South Florida will never forget – when Hurricane Andrew barreled through Miami-Dade, destroying everything in its path and claiming dozens of lives.
Thursday marked 25 years since the category 5 storm made landfall with the eye located in the southern part of the county, leveling cities like Homestead and Florida City with winds as high as 175 miles per hour.
A total of 44 people lost their lives in the state, with Andrew causing over $25 billion in damage to the area. In all 65 people died and the storm caused an estimated $26.3 million in damage, making it the costliest storm in history at that time.
NBC 6's Jackie Nespral sits down with former WTVJ anchor Tony Segreto, who helped lead the station's coverage as the deadly storm moved through South Florida
The efforts to rebuild the areas hit the hardest took time. Homestead lost an estimated $200 million when the Air Force Base located in the city reopened years later with half the staff that was stationed prior to the storm.
The city also lost a money source when the Cleveland Indians, scheduled to move their Spring Training to the city prior to the storm, ended up moving to Central Florida despite the city rebuilding their sports complex.
NBC 6's John Morales sits down with former WTVJ meteorologist Bryan Norcross, who helped lead the station's coverage as the deadly storm moved through South Florida.
Andrew also had an effect on Broward County as well, as residents from South Miami-Dade took insurance money from the storms and moved their families north, settling in cities such as Coral Springs, Weston, Plantation and more.
Former WTVJ meteorologist Bryan Norcross, who spent 23 straight hours on the air providing information and updates during the storm, recalled Andrew for the 25th anniversary.
"It was a very fast developing storm, only two days, remember, two days before it actually hit as a category 5, 165 mile an hour storm, it was a category 1, 75 mile an hour storm," Norcross said.
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
The 1992 photo shows the devastation brought on by Hurricane Andrew on mobile homes and other dwellings.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this file photo, Joan Wallach, left, and her daughter, Brenda, leave the Royal Palm Trailer Park in Homestead, Fla., where they lived, with suitcases they found in the debris from the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, Monday, Aug. 24, 1992. Andrew came ashore at Homestead with winds of 160 miles per hour.
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
The devastation brought on by Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
AP Photo/John Moore, File
In this file photo, U.S. President George H. Bush talks with Justina Balance as he and his wife Barbara, right; Tuesday, Sept. 1, 1992 at Homestead, Fla. toured the area that was hit by Hurricane Andrew last week. A woman hugs a member of the 82nd Airborne at left showing her appreciation to troops that have been sent into the area.
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
Destroyed homes following Hurricane Andrew.
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File
In this file photo, democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton is greeted by a pair of young victims of Hurricane Andrew during a visit in Florida City Thursday, Sept. 3, 1992 to the Homestead and Florida City areas where the powerful storm came ashore on Aug. 24.
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File
In this Sept. 1, 1992 file photo, Janny Vancedarfield sits in front of the debris that was once his house in Florida City, Fla. Vancedarfield lived in this house with six other family members before it was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in September 1992. Two decades later, Homestead and Florida City have doubled in size into a demographically different community, better prepared to deal with hurricanes.
AP
In this file photo, this water tower, a landmark at Florida City, Fla., still stands Aug. 25, 1992, over the ruins of the Florida coastal community that was hit by the force of Hurricane Andrew. The loss of life and property caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 is expected to far exceed the wrath of the record-setting Hurricane Andrew, which struck in 1992.
AP Photo/Scott Applewhite, File
In this file photo, Barbara Bush talking with children outside a field kitchen at Homestead, Fla., Tuesday, Sept. 1, 1992 as her husband visited the hurricane devastated area. U.S. Army Sgt. Detrich Bellow, of Fort Bragg, N.C., left, is preparing the food for people affected in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
Photographer Mark Foley walking with Governor Chiles following Hurricane Andrew.
AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File
In this file photo, Richard Cilinceon hugs his wife Mitzi at the site of their house trailer which they moved into in June, in Homestead, Fla., Aug. 25, 1992. Hurricane Andrew destroyed the couple's home and ruined most of their personal possessions.
AP
This Aug. 25, 1992 file photo shows rows of damaged houses between Homestead and Florida City, Fla. It’s almost been 25 years since Hurricane Andrew struck south of Miami. A new insurance underwriters’ analysis says Miami’s vulnerability to another Category 5 hurricane has grown exponentially. The reinsurance company Swiss Re estimates $80 billion to $100 billion in overall losses if a hurricane similar to Andrew followed the same track today.
AP Photo/John Gaps III, File
In this file photo, Singer Paul Simon hugs a young boy while visiting the tent city in Homestead, Florida, Sept. 17, 1992. Simon is in the stricken area to initiate a mobile medical program to provide free health care to young victims of Hurricane Andrew.
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
A view of a destroyed house following Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
Harold Wilkins, 69, of Florida City walks through the rubble of what was once his trailer home, with only the clothes on his back and the items he's carrying.
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
Street scene in Homestead following Hurricane Andrew.
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File
In this file photo, Jesus Cruz, 7, sleeps on a cot at a Red Cross shelter in Homestead, Fla., Aug. 29, 1992. His family had saved their money for years to buy a home in nearby Florida City only three months ago but they lost everything they had when Hurricane Andrew devastated the area last Monday.
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
View of Henry Gohlke's house following Hurricane Andrew - Miami, Florida
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
Publix Supermarket after Hurricane Andrew swept through Miami.
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
Office equipment debris after Hurricane Andrew swept through South Florida.
