30th Anniversary of Hurricane Andrew
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  • Writer's pictureKyle Sooley-Brookings

30th Anniversary of Hurricane Andrew


It was 30 years ago today that Hurricane Andrew made landfall in Florida.


Governor Lawton Chiles declared a state of emergency. Roughly one-third of the Florida National Guard was activated.


Almost 1.2 million people evacuated ahead of the storm. A mix of residents and tourists fled the area.


Government offices and public and private schools were closed from Monroe County northward to St. Lucie County. Many colleges and universities in southeast Florida closed. Major airports also closed.


The damage from Andrew was incredible, costing about $25.3 billion in damage in Florida. This was the costliest hurricane to hit Florida at the time.


In the state of Florida, there were 44 fatalities.

Damage in Lakes by the Bay. NOAA / National Weather Service

Hurricane Andrew was a Category 5 hurricane. It also impacted the Bahamas and Louisiana.


In total, the storm destroyed more than 63,500 houses and damaged more than 124,000 others. The damage caused totalled $27.3 billion. The storm also killed 65 people.


Andrew formed on August 16, 1992 and dissipated on August 29, 1992.

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