35,000 people were left homeless and 83 ships sank when gilbert struck the yucatán peninsula. 60,000 homes were destroyed, and damage was estimated at between $1 and 2 billion (1989 us$).<ref name="mexican hurricanes/gilbert"></ref> in the cancún region, gilbert produced waves high, washing away 60% of the city's beaches; the storm surge from the storm penetrated up to inland. a further loss of $87 million (1989 usd) due to a decline in tourism was estimated for the months of october, november and december in 1988. rainfall in the yucatán peninsula peaked at in progreso.