Hurricane Opal: October 4, 1995
Hurricane Opal made landfall at Pensacola Beach, Fla. in the late afternoon on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 1995, furiously lashing her 125 mph winds at residents still recovering from Hurricane Erin which struck the area two months earlier to the day. This 15th named storm of the season drastically changed the landscape of this once-thriving resort community, causing nearly $2 billion in damages. The year 1995 claimed the second busiest hurricane season since 1933 when 21 named storms rocked the Atlantic.
"I been through two hurricanes. Ain't even moved a shingle." - Ray Comans, Navarre Beach resident whose "fortified" house 30 yards from the gulf did not suffer any damage.
"The price of living in our paradise is understanding how close we live to the water and knowing when it's time to evacuate." - Larry Gispert, Director of Hillsborough County Emergency Planning Operations.
Hurricane Opal's high winds and 20-foot storm surge tossed boats to shore in piles, coming to rest only when meeting the resistance of still-standing buildings. The area has a multitude of boats because of the active recreational and commercial fishing industry. Tampa Tribune staff photo/Jim Reed
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White sand covers U.S. Highway 98, east of Destin, Fla. Officials predicted it would be six months before roads could be rebuilt.
Tampa Tribune staff photo/Jim Reed
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Beachfront highways suffered extensive damage all around Florida's Panhandle region. Officials estimated it would take about six months to repair the infrastructure damage. Tampa Tribune staff photo/Jim Reed
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Sightseers walk up on a beached boat left by Opal on the eastbound lane of U.S. Highway 98 in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Tampa Tribune staff photo/Cliff McBride
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Charlie Crowther takes a look at boats that were washed ashore in Destin, Fla. The area boasts the largest charter fishing fleet in America. Tampa Tribune staff photo/David Kadlubowski
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A storage shed sits on top of a car along U.S. Highway 98 close to the water in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Neither car nor shed owner were around the day after the storm to clean up the damage.
Tampa Tribune staff photo/Cliff Mcbride
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Robert Landry, Jr. stares in amazement at his father's home in Holiday Isles, Fla. The wood home which sat next to the Gulf of Mexico was lifted from its stilts and smashed. The Panhandle region suffered nearly $2 billion in damage. Tampa Tribune staff photo/David Kadlubowski
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Boat owners return to check on damage to their property at this Destin, Fla. marina. Tampa Tribune staff photo/David Kadlubowski. Click on photo for larger image
Florida Governor Lawton Chiles, left, tours barrier island Pensacola Beach two days after Hurricane Opal struck. Chiles said the damage was second only to Navarre Beach. Tampa Tribune staff photo/Colin Hackley
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