by Patrick Moser
FORT PIERCE, Florida, Sept 6 (AFP) - Hundreds of thousands of people who had evacuated Florida`s east coast headed back Monday, some to homes that were no longer there, smashed to smithereens by the fury of Hurricane Frances.
"There is nothing, nothing to rebuild," said W.T. Shoultz, 67, as he stared in disbelief at the debris that was once his home.
He struggled to hold back tears, but tried to keep his spirits up. "Life must go on."
He had just driven back after evacuating from his home in Fort Pierce in southeastern Florida, which was hit head-on when Frances slammed ashore Saturday night.
All around him was devastation. The fixed trailer home community where he lived was among the worst affected by the storm, which moved across to the state after slamming the east coast.
Just about the only thing standing is a sign that welcomes visitors to "Pleasure Cove, an active senior retirement community."
At least one of the trailer homes ended up in a canal, others were smashed to pieces, missing a roof, or a wall.
And everyone here is well aware that yet another devastating storm may be on its way, with Hurricane Ivan looming thousands of kilometers (miles) away but projected to head toward the US coast.
"Don`t even talk to me about Ivan," said Shoultz, his voice breaking with emotion.
One of his neighbors, Lee Childress, 74, said he doubted he would survive the shock of another destructive hurricane.
"I don`t even have insurance," he said, adding that like many others in his retirement community, he lived on a very limited income.
At a nearby neighborhood of brightly painted but humble homes, Maria Morales, 44, gently rocked the baby she held in her arms, but sobbed as she looked at the damaged home she had only bought two months ago.
"What shall we do now?" she asked as she stared at the downed power lines, the uprooted trees and the smashed walls.
She too had just returned to her home after seeking refuge in a hotel further north -- packing a tiny room with 13 of her relatives.
One of her cousins who lived nearby was helping pick up the pieces. There was nothing left to pick up at his own home which was swept into the water.
Like hundreds of thousands of people across the area, the home in which Morales lives with her husband, four children and two nephews, has no power and no water.
"It`s particularly hard for the baby, with no air-conditioning the heat gets unbearable," said Morales, who hails from Michoacan, Mexico.
It also means that Morales, who worked from home as a seamstress won`t be able to resume her job.
Power company officials said that given the extent of the damage wrought by Frances it could take weeks before electricity if fully restored.
Reconstruction was further complicated by the fact numerous emergency teams were still working helping out in southwestern Florida, devastated by Hurricane Charley last month.
Humanitarian aid started pouring in and convoys of trucks with generators, water, and even portable toilets were deployed in areas worst affected by Frances.
First shipments of gasoline also arrived, enabling Floridians to take up for their drive home.
But at some gas stations, several hundred cars waited in line, as police officers, assisted by national guardsmen, directed traffic.
Crews were busy removing huge trees, smashed traffic lights and other debris that littered the roads.