Cozumel News October 14th, 2015

October the 18th will be  the tenth anniversary of the birth of Hurricane Wilma that  pounded on our little island paradise of Cozumel in 2005. Hurricane Wilma was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Part of the record breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, which included three of the six most intense Atlantic hurricanes ever, Wilma was the twenty-second storm, thirteenth hurricane, sixth major hurricane, fourth Category 5 hurricane, and second-most destructive hurricane of the 2005 season.

A tropical depression formed in the Caribbean Sea near Jamaica on October 15, and intensified into a tropical storm two days later, named Wilma. After heading westward as a tropical depression, Wilma turned abruptly southward after becoming a tropical storm. Wilma continued intensifying, and eventually became a hurricane on October 18. Shortly thereafter, rapid intensification occurred, and in only 24 hours, Wilma became a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 185 mph.

• Damages: $29.10 billion USD (2005)
• Formed: Oct 15, 2005
• Dissipated: Oct 26, 2005
• Highest winds: 183.30 mph (295 km/h)
• Total fatalities: 62

Here, in Quintana Roo, state government officials declared a red alert on the evening of Wednesday, October 19. Classes were suspended in the state’s northern municipalities and residents of coastal areas were advised to take refuge farther inland; tourists in the resort city of Cancún and its adjacent islands were told to return to their places of origin or head inland while those unable to were relocated to designated hurricane shelters throughout the city. In neighboring Yucatán, classes were also suspended in 18 coastal municipalities.

At least eight deaths were reported in Mexico. Five were in the Playa del Carmen area due to a gas explosion caused by the strong winds. Four deaths also were reported in Cozumel and another in Cancún due to wind blowing a window out. Another death, caused by a falling tree, was reported in the state of Yucatán.

The storm was strong, slow moving, and sat over the island some sixty plus hours.Cozumel was cut off from the outside world, the ports and airport closed and telephone and electric services were completely out. Damage was extensive in Cozumel, many broken windows, fallen trees, power lines and buildings along the waterfront damaged, hurricane shutters and all. The strong winds, rain, and waves caused tremendous damage to Melgar Avenue businesses and jewelry, perfume, store safes, and other merchandise went floating into the sea.

The governor of Quintana Roo, Félix González Canto, said in an interview “Never in the history of Quintana Roo have we seen a storm like this.”

The destruction left behind by Wilma in the Yucatán severely damaged the tourist industry there, as the storm affected some of the tourist hot spots of Mexico. Damage in Mexico totaled $7.5 billion (2005 USD, $80 billion 2005 MXN), of which $4.6 billion (2005 USD, $50 billion 2005 MXN) was from agricultural damage. The popular Mexican resort towns of Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Cancún all suffered significant damage from Wilma, causing a major loss of tourism income.

The MTV Video Music Awards Latin America 2005 was to be held Wednesday, October 19 at the Xcaret Eco Park (close to Cancún) in Quintana Roo, Mexico. The 2005 edition of these awards was postponed, however, because of the approach of Hurricane Wilma toward the Mexican Riviera Maya. MTV had moved the date from October 20 to 19 in an attempt to avoid the hurricane, but eventually decided to cancel the show. The 2005 edition eventually took place using a modified format on December 22.

Due to significant damage in Mexico and Florida, the name Wilma was officially retired in April 2006 by the World Meteorological Organization, and will never be used for an Atlantic storm again. It was replaced by Whitney in 2011. Whitney will be on the name list again in 2017.

Wilma was the worst storm ever recorded in history in the Atlantic. Wilma moved over the island of Cozumel from south to north with the eye passing directly over the northern tip of the island. A strong northerly front that was moving southward caused Wilma to stall over top of us and at one point, the hurricane was only moving at 3 km per hour.

The after Math

The military arrived immediately after Wilma with supply helicopters filled with food and water for the population. Grocery stores distributed all the perishable foods to the population free of charge. Then the people of Cozumel came together as one, and went to work cleaning up their paradise, in an effort worthy of a motion picture.  In an unbelievable record time the Men, women and children of Cozumel cleaned up the destruction left by Wilma to get the island ready for the tourism business again, the island´s main source of income.