History of Florida
Hurricane Andrew in August 1992 struck Homestead, just south of Miami, as a Category 5 hurricane, leaving forty people dead, 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed, more than a million people left without electricity, and damages of $20–30 billion. Much of South Florida's sensitive vegetation was severely damaged. The region had not seen a storm of such power in decades. Besides heavy property damage, the hurricane nearly destroyed the region's insurance industry.
Effects of Hurricane Isaac in Florida
Despite passing closest to the Florida Keys, impact was minimal, limited to tropical storm-force winds and light rainfall. The outerbands of Isaac produced heavy precipitation further north, especially in Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Indian River counties. In the former, the resultant flooding left numerous residents in Royal Palm Beach and Loxahatchee isolated. There was extensive street flooding, and water entered a few houses. Damage in Palm Beach County alone was nearly $71.6 million (2012 USD). Inland flooding was also reported in several other counties, though losses were generally minor. A tornado in Indian River County damaged 118 mobile homes and 15 single family homes. Further north in Central Florida and the Panhandle, the storm spawned four other tornadoes. Tides along the Gulf Coast of Florida caused erosion and coastal flooding in Bay, Collier, Franklin, Gulf, and Wakulla counties. Though winds caused little damage, around 113,000 customers were left without electricity in South Florida. The storm resulted in two indirect fatalities, both caused by vehicles driving on slick roads in Palm Beach and Okeechobee counties. Throughout the state, damage reached approximately $91.45 million.