Hurricane Ivan swept through the Cayman Islands on Sunday, battering Grand Cayman for more than eight hours. The storm tore roofs from homes, toppled buildings, and left cars drifting through flooded streets.
Virtually every house on the island lost part or all of its roof, with debris falling onto neighboring structures. At Mariners Cove, an apartment block was displaced across the road. The nearby Ocean Club complex sustained significant damage. Floodwater swept the contents of gutted homes out into surrounding streets.
Power lines were brought down and mobile networks failed. No casualties were immediately confirmed. HMS Richmond, a British Royal Navy frigate anchored offshore, was readying its helicopter to survey the damage from the air.
The government said water damage was extensive but that most buildings remained structurally sound, and pledged to restore financial services and tourism quickly. The Cayman Islands are internationally known as a banking center and a popular scuba diving destination.
Ivan had killed at least 63 people across the Caribbean before reaching the Caymans, and was projected to continue toward western Cuba before tracking to Florida or Louisiana later in the week.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in September 2004, in its own words.