Latest report from NY Times, about 1-2 hours ago:
Hurricane Charley, with sustained winds of 145 m.p.h., made landfall about just off Fort Myers, Fla., this afternoon, with the center of the storm expected to push its way north.
"We didn't expect to have the eye as close as it is," Mayor Jim Humphrey of Fort Myers said in an interview on CNN.
Those who did not evacuate their homes earlier today were being told to stay put, mostly by radio, since the majority of the city was without power. The mayor suggested retreating to windowless bathrooms or closets, particularly in homes without shutters.
At about 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, the center of the storm was Charlotte Harbor, about 75 miles from here.
Gov. Jeb Bush estimated that the hurricane would cause about $15 billion in damage. Meteorologists are drawing comparisons to Hurricane Andrew, which devastated the state and killed more than 60 people in 1992, as well as to Hurricane Donna in 1960, the last major storm to hit Fort Myers.
The area's barrier islands are nearly deserted, Tampa International Airport has closed down, and train service between Miami and New York has been canceled. The Florida National Guard mobilized more than 2,500 troops.
While people in Fort Myers are coping with Charley's unexpected twist, those in Tampa, which was predicted to be the center of the storm, are breathing a bit easier.
"They will be on the weaker side of the storm," Ed Rappaport of the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in an interview on CNN.
Earlier today Governor Bush asked the president to declare a federal state of emergency.
In Orlando, which is in Charley's path, Walt Disney World has closed, though its hotels remain open, CNN reported.
"This is not the time to be getting on the interstate," Governor Bush said this morning. He urged Florida residents and tourists to stay indoors, but some ventured to beaches this morning to catch a glimpse of the choppy surf.
Soldiers and airmen of the National Guard are readying bottled water and coordinating with local law enforcement officials on how to best tackle potential problems like downed power lines and injuries.
"Tomorrow's really going to be the day they need us the most," said Sgt. Stephen Hudson, a public affairs specialist with the Florida National Guard.
The Guard is prepared to assist local law enforcement officials with evacuations, traffic control, the removal of debris and water purification.
Hurricane Charley is a category 4 storm, which is characterized by inland flooding, structural damage and winds of 131 to 155 m.p.h.
Even before Hurricane Charley joined the small ranks of Category 4 storms, meteorologists were already marveling at the fact that it was the second major storm to hit Florida in just over 24 hours. Tropical Storm Bonnie, which arrived on Thursday, was less severe than expected but yesterday, tornado spin-offs touched down in Eastern North Carolina, killing three people and injuring more than two dozen others.
Before the storm hit land, about 1.9 million people had been urged to evacuate the west coast. Most were in the counties of Hillsborough, which contains Tampa, and Pinellas, a peninsula that contains St. Petersburg.
For officials, the biggest worry had been informing a public unaccustomed to storms. "It's the largest storm to hit the Tampa area in quite some time," Erin Geraghty, a State Division of Emergency Management spokeswoman, said. "We don't want folks to get too comfortable. We get a lot of new residents in this state, I think we get 600 or 800 folks a day."
On Clearwater Beach Thursday, Frenchy's Rockaway Grill was closing up shop as the police trawled for stragglers. "Hurricanes always hit on the east coast," said April Coulter, 21, a waitress. "They hit like Louisiana. But we never have one in the Tampa Bay. That's why everyone's freaking out."
Tampa's streets were filled with testy drivers Thursday, and its stores were jammed with shoppers looking for last-minute supplies. At the Kash n' Karry Supermarket on Swann Avenue, the manager awaited a fresh truckload of bottled water. "There's no water, but I got beer," said Lisa Torres, 33, a teacher.
Peter Teahen, a spokesman for the American Red Cross, said Thursday that the agency had opened 10 shelters away from the coast, "but that number could soar dramatically."
The ones now open accommodate about 15,000 people, he said. Mr. Teahen said that those affected could call 866-GET-INFO to find out where to go.
Also, he said, in the Atlanta area the organization had "34 emergency response vehicles staged and ready to go to move into Florida, and 20 more coming in from Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri" to provide food and emergency services after the storms passed.