Hurricane Andrew

25 Years Later

By WLRN News

Twenty-five years ago this week, Hurricane Andrew ravaged South Florida. The damage literally and figuratively turned this community upside down. Power went out as far north as Broward and Palm Beach Counties. In northern Miami-Dade County-simply called Dade County back then-trees toppled and roof tiles flew.

But South Dade suffered the worst of the damage.

The category 5 storm destroyed nearly 30,000 homes and damaged 100,000 more. It left close to 1.4 million people without power for days. Hurricane Andrew killed 15 people. More died in the days and weeks afterwards. The damage cost an estimated $25 billion, making it the most expensive natural disaster at that point in U.S. history.

The storm became a marker in many lives: before and after Andrew.

Through a partnership with HistoryMiami, WLRN News recorded interviews at the Miami Stories recording booth during the opening of the museum's Hurricane Andrew: 25 Years Later exhibit. Here, then, are some of the stories that you shared with us.

Stories

Video: Driving Through The Destruction of Hurricane Andrew

Hurricane Andrew survivors reflect on the storm 25 years later