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Hurricane Phoenix, initially a tropical storm south of Puerto Rico, rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane, with a likely landfall in the Central West Florida area. A hurricane landfall was considered certain. The Tampa Bay area faced potential storm surges of 13 to 21 feet or more, with the barrier islands expected to flood.
The storm, with winds up to 160 mph, was projected to cause catastrophic damage, including flooded barrier islands and destroyed bridges. The largest evacuation in history occurred. Post-storm, there were 165 known deaths and over 30,000 missing. Preliminary assessments indicated over 1,000,000 buildings were damaged, with an estimated 480,000 completely destroyed.
Critical infrastructure, including hospitals, fire stations, police stations, and the port of Tampa, sustained significant damage. An estimated 48,000,000 tons of debris were generated. Approximately 843,000 households were displaced. Building-related losses were estimated at $200,000,000,000. A regional plan involving government agencies, businesses, nonprofits, and citizens is crucial for Tampa Bay's recovery.