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/ 3 September 2004
The long avenues in West Palm Beach are deserted, stores are closed and shuttered, here and there a man struggles in the damp wind to board up his windows against the impending menace of Hurricane Frances, the worst storm to hit the state of Florida in 10 years. Frances should make landfall in Florida at 8pm local time on Saturday.
Hurricane Charley blew out of Florida on Saturday leaving death and destruction in its wake. The storm had battered the US coast with an unexpected wind force and a 15ft-high surge of seawater that destroyed airports, hospitals and homes. Initial estimates of fatalities ranged from dozens to more than 200.