At least 15 people are now known to have been killed in the wake of Hurricane Charley in Florida in the United States. The hurricane also claimed the lives of four people in Florida.
Emergency rescue operations are underway in the south-west of the State after the hurricane left a trail of death and destruction.
The hurricane came to shore further south than expected, taking many people by surprise.
The authorities say the hurricane has left half a million people without electricity and 'mass damage' in its wake. The State Governor, Jeb Bush, has declared the region a federal disaster area.
The Director of Emergency Management in Charlotte County, Wayne Sallade, said there had been significant loss of life at a mobile home park.
Mr Sallade compared the devastation with 1992's Hurricane Andrew, which the National Hurricane Center directly blamed for the deaths of 26 people, most in south Florida.
The US President, George W Bush, is due to the area tomorrow.
Homes are evacuated
Hurricane Charley has led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents from their homes.
With winds up to 145mph, Charley hit land on the Gulf coast south of Tampa, causing a tidal surge of up to 15 feet.
