Hurricane Jeanne was one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricanes on record, producing damaging floods in Haiti, and the last of four hurricanes to impact Florida in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The tenth named storm, seventh hurricane, and fifth major hurricane of the season, Jeanne formed on September 13 near the Lesser Antilles, and was a strong tropical storm by the time it hit Puerto Rico on September 15, leading to seven fatalities on the island. A day later, it attained hurricane status while moving ashore the Dominican Republic, where it killed 23 people. Jeanne weakened while moving over Hispaniola, producing torrential rainfall over Haiti that killed 3,006 people. After emerging back into the Atlantic Ocean, Jeanne executed a large clockwise loop, during which time it strengthened into a major hurricane. While at that intensity, Jeanne struck The Bahamas on September 25. Early the next day, it made landfall in eastern Florida about away from where Hurricane Frances hit the state three weeks earlier. Jeanne weakened over the southeastern United States, eventually dissipating on September 29.

During its formative stages, Jeanne dropped of precipitation on the island of Guadeloupe, damaging hundreds of buildings from floods. Landslides and flooding affected the Virgin Islands, and around 20 people on St. Thomas required rescue. On Puerto Rico, seven people died during storm preparations, the storm itself, or subsequent carbon monoxide poisoning. Across the Dominican Republic, Jeanne killed 23 people, and produced floods that forced more than 37,000 people to leave their houses. In northern Haiti, floodwaters reached in the coastal city of Gonaïves, with more than 80% of the city of 100,000 people inundated. The floods and landslides destroyed houses and crop fields across the region. After the storm, Haiti's interim government, following a coup d'état in February of 2004, relied on security assistance from the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), as well as international aid to rebuild. The emergency response to the floods ended on October 19. Subsequent violence and attacks on nongovernment organizations disrupted further aid distribution.

After completing its cyclonic loop, Jeanne hit both the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Island, damaging or destroying around 800 homes. Across Florida, the hurricane damaged or destroyed thousands of homes, most of which were previously damaged by hurricanes Frances and Charley. The collective impacts of the three hurricanes, in addition to Hurricane Ivan which struck Alabama, produced the largest relief operations in the history of both the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Total damage from Jeanne in the continental United States was estimated at $7.5 billion. The hurricane also killed six people in Florida, two each in North and South Carolina, and one in Virginia. Jeanne produced a tornado outbreak from Florida to New Jersey, and also produced widespread flooding, particularly areas flooded by the previous hurricanes. Due to its widespread effects, the name Jeanne was retired and will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane.

Meteorological history

A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on September 7, accompanied by scattered convection, or thunderstorms. It continued westward across the Atlantic Ocean, steered by a ridge to the north. Further organization was hampered by wind shear produced by Hurricane Ivan in the Caribbean Sea. On September 11, convection became slightly better organized as the wave approached the Lesser Antilles, with some broad cyclonic turning. Late on September 13, the system developed into Tropical Depression Eleven about east-southeast of Guadeloupe. At 04:00 UTC on September 14, the depression crossed the island. Later that day it strengthened into a tropical storm and was named Jeanne by the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Continuing to the west-northwest, Jeanne hit Puerto Rico near Guayama at 16:00 UTC on September 15 with winds of . While crossing the island, Jeanne maintained its eye feature, and it intensified further over the Mona Passage. At 11:00 UTC, Jeanne attained hurricane status as it struck the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic on September 16. It quickly weakened over land, and late on September 17, Jeanne emerged back into the Atlantic Ocean as a tropical depression. Around that time, the NHC noted the potential that Jeanne could strike the southeastern United States in about five days; however, there was uncertainty in the forecast related to the remnants of Hurricane Ivan and a building ridge.

Jeanne's original circulation dissipated as a new vorticity developed closer to the convection, and it regained tropical storm status at 00:00 UTC on September 18. The storm moved northward through the Turks and Caicos Islands and slowly reorganized. Late on September 20, Jeanne re-attained hurricane status while passing northeast of the Bahamas. Around this time, it turned to the east and began executing a clockwise loop. and the hurricane crossed over its former track on September 23. By this time, cooler waters from upwelling caused Jeanne to weaken briefly, followed by re-intensification on September 24. At 12:00 UTC on September 25, Jeanne became a Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which is major hurricane status. Two hours later, it made landfall on Abaco Island in the Bahamas, and later it moved over Grand Bahama Island. The hurricane moved ashore only away from where Hurricane Frances hit 21 days prior. After crossing into Virginia, Jeanne transitioned into an extratropical cyclone at 00:00 UTC on September 29 near Washington, D.C. Later that day, the remnants of Jeanne exited into the Atlantic Ocean and merged with a cold front. USVI Governor Charles Wesley Turnbull issued a state of emergency and ordered the territory's schools to close. Airports in the territory closed during the storm passage. In Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, an elderly man fell from a roof to his death while installing storm shutters. Across the territory, all ports were closed, and most flights were canceled. The island's power grid was turned off to prevent damage. Government offices and courts were also closed. Governor Sila María Calderón forbade the sale of alcohol during the storm. Ferry service was temporarily suspended between the mainland and both Vieques and Culebra. More than 1,000 people fled to evacuation shelters in Puerto Rico. The local National Weather Service (NWS) office issued flood watches as early as September 14. Ultimately, flash flood warnings were issued for every municipality in the territory. River flood warnings were issued for the Cibuco, Guanajibo, and La Plata rivers. Ultimately, 3,629 people in flood zones were forced to evacuate. There were also tropical storm warnings along the northern coast of Haiti covering as far west as Môle-Saint-Nicolas.

United States

thumb|upright=1.2|NHC forecast map on September 22, several days prior to landfall

On September 24, the NHC first issued hurricane warnings for the eastern Florida coast from Florida City to St. Augustine, including Lake Okeechobee. Additional hurricane warnings were later added for Florida's west coast from Englewood to the mouth of the Suwannee River on the Florida Panhandle. Tropical storm warnings were also issued as far west as Destin, for southern Florida, and as far northeast to central Georgia at the mouth of the Altamaha River. Ultimately, about 2 million people were under evacuation orders across 28 counties. Roughly 61,000 people utilized one of 298 shelters. The roadways most used during the evacuation were the Florida Turnpike and Interstate 75. Airports and ports were closed throughout the state, and Amtrak service was disrupted. Preparations were complicated by the damage from Hurricane Frances, which made landfall in the state three weeks earlier. At least 21 county school districts closed classes, with schools in St. Lucie County having been closed since Hurricane Frances. A National Football League game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins was delayed by seven and a half hours because of the storm. Walt Disney World closed, only the third time that the park closed for a hurricane.

While Jeanne moved through the southeastern United States on September 27, the Storm Prediction Center issued a moderate risk of severe weather and tornadoes from Georgia to North Carolina. Various NWS offices issued flood watches and warnings across the southeastern United States, extending into the Mid-Atlantic and northeastward through Massachusetts. The hurricane caused school closures as far northeast as Philadelphia, and airport delays through the New York metropolitan area.

Impact

{| class="wikitable floatright" style="width: 25em"

|+ Deaths related to Hurricane Jeanne

|-

! colspan="2"|Country

! Total

|-

| colspan="2"|Dominican Republic

| 23 In Point-Noire, nearly 300 single-family homes were damaged or demolished. Three bridges were destroyed, while numerous roads were also affected. Further south in Vieux-Habitants, roads also suffered damage, particularly in the Beaugendre area, leaving a dozen households isolated. A primary school was impacted beyond repairs. In Saint-François, a trench was dug along a major highway to prevent a residential subdivision from flooding. In the British Virgin Islands, the storm's rains led to landslides that covered roads. The highest wind gust in Puerto Rico was , recorded near Cayey. The island's power grid incurred about $60 million in damage, with an additional $8 million in damage to water systems. Across Puerto Rico, 302 roads were closed due to landslides or fallen trees. The storm also damaged schools, homes, and businesses. On Vieques, the floods collapsed several bridges. Despite the impacts, however, the Dominican Republic suffered less damage than neighboring Haiti, in part due to more heavily forested areas.

Haiti

thumb|Flooding in [[Gonaïves]]

Although Jeanne's center passed north of Haiti, its large circulation dropped heavy rainfall across the country from September 17–19. Rainfall totals reached over a 36 hour period. The intense rainfall produced floods and landslides across the country, leading to 3,006 fatalities. The death toll made Jeanne one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricanes on record. In the coastal city of Gonaïves, floodwaters reached deep, resulting in 2,826 fatalities. There were 65 deaths in Nord-Ouest department, mostly in Port-de-Paix, while around 300,000 people in the province were left homeless. There were also 47 deaths elsewhere in Haiti. Due to the large number of deaths, many of the corpses were either incinerated or buried in mass graves. In one instance, families of the deceased protested the mass burials and their lack of proper burial by throwing stones at a truck delivering corpses. The floods and landslides were made worse by ongoing deforestation in the country, as well as floods in May 2004 that killed thousands in the country.

The floods from Jeanne inundated about 80% of Gonaïves, a city of around 100,000 people. Residents were forced onto their roofs or to flee to safer areas, including 600 people that stayed in the city's cathedral. About 4,000 homes in the city were destroyed, resulting in 20,000 people becoming homeless. The infrastructure of Gonaïves was largely destroyed, with no functioning water system and limited electricity after Jeanne's passage. The floods blocked roads connecting Gonaïves with both Saint-Marc and Port-de-Paix. Floodwaters also destroyed the city's two hospitals and 90% of private clinics. About 450 members of MINUSTAH were displaced when floods damaged their camp. About 30% of the city of Port-de-Paix was inundated by Les Trois Rivières, while parts of the city was covered in landslides. Prime Minister Perry Christie declared both island groups as disaster areas on September 27. Nationwide, about 800 homes were damaged or destroyed. At High Rock, high waves washed out a portion of the road near the beach. In Freeport, the hurricane damaged the roof to the office of the Prime Minister. The hurricane also severely damaged the fire station as well as the local YMCA. Hundreds of homes on Abaco were damaged. About one-third of the homes at Sandy Point had flood damage, with several homes also experiencing roofing damage. Government buildings across the Abaco Islands sustained about $30 million in damage, including damage to two high schools, a primary school, and a library. The Marsh Harbour Airport was inundated with floodwaters for three days. Businesses were closed for weeks due to the flood damage in Marsh Harbour. In the Berry Islands, Jeanne eroded a causeway while also damaging homes and schools. There were also five direct deaths in the country – three in Florida, one in South Carolina, and one in Virginia. Jeanne produced hurricane-force winds from around Stuart to Cape Canaveral, and extended halfway across the state. The strongest recorded sustained winds in Florida was 91 mph (146 km/h) at the Melbourne NWS office. Wind gusts reached 128 mph (205 km/h) at Fort Pierce Inlet, and 122 mph (196 km/h) in Vero Beach. Water levels along Lake Okeechobee reached above-normal, which flooded a few marinas. Above normal tides occurred as far south as Key West, with portions of its airport inundated. Cedar Key on the west coast recorded tides below-normal due to offshore winds. The hurricane also dropped heavy rainfall across the state, with the heaviest totals recorded along the eyewall's path. In Holder in Citrus County, the Withlacoochee River swelled to a record crest of .

Jeanne also spawned nine tornadoes in Florida, mostly in the eyewall or innermost rainbands. A tornado, rated F1 on the Fujita scale, touched down west of Vero Beach, knocking down trees near its path. Over a 20–minute period, two F1 tornadoes hit Barefoot Bay in Brevard County; the former knocked down a few trees, while the latter damaged about a dozen houses. The remaining tornadoes were all rated F0; two were in Flagler County, and the other four touched down in St. Johns County.

Across Florida, Hurricane Jeanne directly led to three fatalities. A man drowned in Palm Bay in Brevard County, driving his car into a flooded ditch. In Indian River County, an elderly woman died a few days after being injured during evacuations. In Clay County, a falling tree limb struck and killed a child. There were fatalities indirectly related to the hurricane. A man in St. Lucie County was electrocuted by a downed power line. In Orange County, a man died after falling off a ladder while using a chainsaw. In Lake County, a woman died due to a fire, caused by a candle lit during a power outage. Jeanne destroyed the roofs of several homes that were previously damaged by Frances. In Melbourne, about 120 people had to evacuate twice when their shelter lost their roofs. Thousands of homes in St. Lucie County were damaged or destroyed, with dozens of mobile home trailer parks heavily damaged. In Fort Pierce Inlet, Jeanne's high tides destroyed dozens of boats. More than 41,000 homes in Indian River County were damaged to some degree. County officials advised most residents to boil water, due to power outages. The Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center sustained damage to panels. Farther north, thousands of homes were damaged in Volusia County due to the combination of high winds and floods along the St. Johns River. South of the landfall location, the rains caused generally minor flooding, with locally severe floods in Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter, and on farms in western Palm Beach County. About 2,000 houses sustained severe damage in Highlands County, including 140 that were destroyed. In Lakeland in Polk County, a retention pond overflowed and caused parts of a strip mall to collapse. Floods closed streets in St. Cloud in Osceola County, including parts of U.S. Route 192. Most rivers across northern Florida reached flood stage, which closed portions of Interstate 10. In Live Oak, several roads were washed out. Parts of Punta Gorda were flooded by Jeanne's storm surge, while gusty winds removed the tarps from roofs damaged previously by Hurricane Charley. In Dixie County along the Florida panhandle, Jeanne damaged 215 homes, with 15 of them destroyed. The storm also washed out 30 county roads.

Southeastern United States

thumb|Rainfall totals from Jeanne in the United States

As Jeanne moved through the southeastern United States, it still produced gale-force wind gusts. Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport recorded wind gusts to . The storm led to above-normal tides and beach erosion along the coast. The storm also dropped heavy rainfall. The highest precipitation total in Georgia was , recorded near Tifton. In southern Georgia, the rains produced flooding that washed out roads in Lowndes County, after the Withlacoochee River exceeded its banks. In Valdosta, around 700 people evacuated due to floods, while schools and businesses were closed. The rains, in addition to gale-force wind gusts, knocked down trees and power lines, some of which fell onto homes. Around 36,000 people in the Valdosta area were without power. In Bibb County, dozens of trees fall, leaving 600 people without power, and leading to one car accident. Near Macon, the interchange between I-75 and I-16 was flooded. Farther north in the Atlanta area, heavy rainfall produced floods along the Chattahoochee River, along with nearby creeks and streams. Both the Peachtree and Nancy creeks in Fulton County exceeded flood stage, which inundated nearby homes and businesses that were flooded ten days earlier by Hurricane Ivan. The river flooding covered parts of a golf course. In Gwinnett County, the heavy rains damaged the roof of an apartment complex, forcing at least 75 people to evacuate. A small lake in Union Point failed during the floods. Several minor roads across the area were washed out or closed. Damage in the Atlanta area reached $5 million.

While Jeanne was moving through the Bahamas, it produced rip currents that killed a swimmer in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina; five other people required rescue. During its passage through the southeastern United States, Jeanne produced a severe weather outbreak across the region, spawning 17 tornadoes in South Carolina. The most significant was an F2 that touched down near Ridgeway in Fairfield County, South Carolina. The twister destroyed five mobile homes while damaging two other homes, killing one person and injuring 13 others. The remaining ten tornadoes were all rated F0, which touched down in Hampton, Berkeley, Aiken, Lee, Chesterfield, Dillon, Marlboro, Saluda, Lexington, and one in Newberry. The tornado in Dillon County touched down along I-95. Jeanne's winds reached 41 mph (67 km/h) in Charleston. The wind gusts were strong enough to knock down trees and power lines, resulting in car crash and injuries in both Jasper and Colleton counties. The combination of high tides and heavy rainfall produced coastal flooding in Charleston. Waters from a water drain forced an apartment building in Honea Path to evacuate. Several homes in Fountain Inn were also evacuated.

Along the North Carolina coast, rip currents and high surf in North Carolina killed swimmers in Corolla in Currituck County and Oak Island in Brunswick County. During Jeanne's passage through the southeastern United States, there were seven tornadoes in North Carolina, none of them rated stronger than an F1. The first touched down twice along an path through Moore County, where it damaged 121 buildings, including eight that were destroyed. The twister also crossed four golf courses, knocked down hundreds of trees, and destroyed 12 cars. A brief F0 tornado, also in Moore County, knocked a tree onto a home. An F0 tornado touched down twice in Apex in Wake County, damaging a few power lines and mobile homes. A brief F0 tornado touched down in Richmond County, which downed a few trees and power lines. An F1 tornado hit near Oak City in Martin County, which blew the porch off a house and destroyed four large storage bins. In the town of Star in Montgomery County, an F0 tornado destroyed a chicken coop and moved a barn off its foundation, while also knocking a tree onto a home. An F1 tornado hit Patterson Springs in Cleveland County, knocking down several trees and power lines, some of which fell onto homes. Jeanne also dropped heavy rainfall in the state, reaching at Clear Creek. The rains led to flash flooding in parts of the state, which flooded roads across the state such as I-40 and I-85. Several motorists in Rowan County required rescue after driving through floodwaters. An elementary school was flooded in Danbury in Stokes County. In Cabarrus County, a school was evacuated due to rising floodwaters, while several homes and businesses were flooded. Rainfall also extended into neighboring Tennessee, reaching in Del Rio.

Mid-Atlantic and New England

As Jeanne accelerated through the Mid-Atlantic, it continued producing heavy rainfall. The highest rainfall total in Virginia was in Woolwine in Patrick County. Flash flooding in the county killed a woman when her mobile home was washed off its foundation and moved downstream. The heavy rainfall also produced mudslides, closing a portion of U.S. Route 220. Flash flooding caused rivers and creeks to rise. Near Buchanan in Botetourt County, the James River swelled to a level of , above flood stage. In Roanoke, the Roanoke River reached its seventh highest level on record, prompting numerous residential evacuations. Businesses near the river were completely submerged underwater, and a nearby hotel required evacuation. An apartment complex was evacuated in nearby Salem. In Frederick County, portions of Interstate 81 and U.S. Route 50 were blocked off by floodwaters. Several roads were washed out in Fauquier County. During Jeanne's passage of the state, an F1 tornado that took an intermittent path through Pittsylvania County. The twister caused one injury. Throughout the state, 292 structures were damaged, with at least $3.6 million in damage.

thumb|Damage from a tornado spawned by Hurricane Jeanne in [[Delaware]]

In neighboring West Virginia, rainfall from Jeanne reached in Union. The rains caused flooding in the eastern portion of the state, inundating portions of U.S. Route 11 and West Virginia Route 51. Fair Hill, Maryland recorded of precipitation during the storm. The rains caused streams to flood, inundating 50 roads statewide. In Carroll County, a group of inmates required rescue after the jail they were in flooded. On Solomons Island, a waterspout moved ashore and became a brief F0 tornado, damaging the roof of a barn and the island's visitor center. Rainfall in Delaware reached in Newark. The rains led to flooding along the White and Red Clay Creeks, inundating roads and triggering evacuations. Residents in Glenville had to evacuated, while 40 people required rescue when a bus was stranded. There was also an F2 tornado in New Castle County, and remained on the ground for about , causing five injuries and left $1 million in damage. The tornado touched down near the county airport, damaging five planes and nearby hangars. The tornado also damaged a school, a self-storage facility, and several nearby homes.

In Pennsylvania, Jeanne's precipitation reached near West Chester. Roads and creeks were inundated across the region, and a woman drowned in the East Falls neighborhood of Philadelphia. Several abandoned buildings collapsed amid the floods, and damage in the city reached $2 million. The Brandywine Creek swelled above flood stage, resulting in swift water rescues and prompting emergency officials to open shelters. A commuter train of about 400 people was evacuated due to the floods. Several flights were canceled, and parts of I-76 were closed, with drivers rescued by boat. About 26,000 people lost power in the state. The hurricane's passage also caused minor tidal flooding along the Delaware River. In neighboring New Jersey, rainfall peaked at in Washington Crossing. Floods covered parts of several roads, including the Garden State Parkway, the New Jersey Turnpike, I-280, and U.S. 202. The flooding led to several water rescues, and several homes had to be evacuated in Union County. The combination of gusty winds and rainfall knocked a tree onto a home in Ewing Township. An F0 tornado touched down in Cherry Hill, damaging 13 buildings and several vehicles at a shopping center.

In neighboring New York, rainfall reached in Westhampton Beach. New York City had record daily rainfall amounts in several locations, including Central Park and Kennedy International Airport which measured respectively. These rains led to significant travel delays throughout the city and halted subway service on a few lines after water built up on some of the tracks. Floods closed roads across the region, including portions of I-87, the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway, the Belt Parkway, the Bronx River Parkway, the Henry Hudson Parkway, FDR Drive, and NY 440. The Metro-North Railroad suffered $2.8 million in damage from Hurricane Jeanne. Heavy rainfall extended into New England. Nantucket, Massachusetts, recorded of rainfall.

Aftermath

As a result of the hurricane's impact, the name Jeanne was retired from the rotating lists of tropical cyclone names in the spring of 2005 by the World Meteorological Organization, and will never again be used for an Atlantic basin tropical cyclone. It was replaced with the name Julia for the 2010 season.

Haiti

After the deadly floods in Haiti, Prime Minister Gérard Latortue declared three days of national mourning. However, the streets of Gonaïves remained covered in mud and stagnant floodwaters for weeks after the storm. Due to damaged or blocked roads, Air Serv International helped transport relief workers to the hardest hit areas. Over a 12–day period after the disaster, CARE International provided meals to more than 278,000 people, equal to 961 metric tons of food. United Nations troops used gunfire to suppress looting at food distribution locations. Due to the insecurity, several nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) stopped their work in Gonaïves. Violence in Port-au-Prince, associated with protests supporting previous Haitian President Aristide, disrupted food transport for a week, until conditions became safer on October 7. However, there were at least four instances of aid trucks being attacked or looted by mid-November, and three WFP trucks that were hijacked in December. On December 31, a mob looted four metric tons of food from a food truck. On January 13, 2005, UN peacekeepers had to use tear gas after riots developed at a food distribution site. The damage from Jeanne, in addition to subsequent drought conditions, diminished crop harvests in central Haiti by February 2005. In the six months after the storm, the WFP distributed 6,386 metric tons of food to people affected by the floods. Food distribution ended on March 14, 2005.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) worked together to coordinate medical needs, providing personnel to assist local health departments and other humanitarian agencies. Teams from Médecins Sans Frontières, Cuba, and Argentina operated four field hospitals in Gonaïves, while Médecins du Monde opened a medical center. A team of Mexican health workers flew to Haiti to help with animal and bug control, as well as other illnesses. By October 18, health access in Gonaïves improved to the levels before the floods. A day later, emergency relief activities ended, although thousands of people remained homeless. The French Red Cross set up a water station capable of producing of clean water each day. There were 20 water distribution sites by mid-October. The World Bank International Development Agency provided more than $19 million toward the Emergency Recovery and Disaster Risk Management Project, which helped improve Haiti's capacity to manage natural disasters. In July 2005, the Inter-American Development Bank provided a $27.1 million loan to help farmers along the Rivière la Quinte by providing seeds and soil management.

Various countries and organizations helped Haiti in the storm's aftermath. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided $38 million in assistance, in addition to ongoing assistance after the country's floods in May 2004. The aid was distributed through a variety of agencies, while also setting up cash-for-work projects. The Canadian International Development Agency sent a flight with 14 tons of supplies to Haiti, while also donating $1 million to the WFP. The European Community Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) provided €4 million toward ongoing relief efforts in the country. Separately, Germany authorized €200,000 in emergency aid, while the Netherlands sent €250,000. The British Red Cross provided hygiene kits, blankets, and kitchen sets. South Africa sent US$1 million to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency toward disaster relief in the Caribbean. The government of Japan sent generators, jerrycans, and other supplies. The Australian Agency for International Development provided A$100,000 to CARE Haiti. CARE helped restore water systems in Gonaïves, while also providing corn, bean and sorghum seeds to rural farmers. Workers from Hydro-Québec helped restore electricity to water irrigation pumps. The Gates Foundation donated $300,000 toward CARE's flood relief work in the country. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency International distributed shoes, medicine, and food, while also providing counseling services. Rise Against Hunger sent a boat with nearly $3 million in supplies, including food and medicine. Télécoms Sans Frontières set up temporary telephone access for about 2,000 families over a 19–day period.

Bahamas

The passages of hurricanes Frances and Jeanne produced more than $550 million in damage and economic losses in The Bahamas, equating to about 10% of the country's gross domestic product. Across the Bahamas, workers began clearing roads and restoring power after the storm passed.

United States

Immediately after Jeanne's passage through Puerto Rico, electric companies began power restoration, with the western portion of the island repaired first. United States President George W. Bush declared Puerto Rico a disaster area on September 17, two days after Jeanne struck the island. Ultimately, the federal government provided $457 million toward the disaster relief in Puerto Rico, which included emergency costs such as debris removal. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved 159,978 individual assistance applications, which included temporary housing programs. FEMA opened six disaster recovery centers, while also operating mobile centers across the island. FEMA also provided counseling services for storm victims. The federal government provided money to repair and upgrade roads, bridges, and electrical grids. President Bush also designated the United States Virgin Islands as a disaster area on October 7. The federal government provided about $1.7 million in disaster assistance.

On September 26, the same day Jeanne moved ashore Florida, President Bush designated much of the state as a disaster area, covering all of the peninsula but Monroe County, and extending as far west as Wakulla County. Ultimately, FEMA spent $919 million toward the Hurricane Jeanne recovery in the state. The agency approved individual assistance for 180,827 people in the state. The collective effects of hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne damaged about one-third of the state's orange crop and two-thirds of the state's grapefruit. The hurricanes also resulted in increased costs for labor, after the migrant workers shifted from being citrus pickers to working in reconstruction. By ten years after the hurricanes, the citrus industry had not fully recovered, partly due to citrus greening disease. The collective response to hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne represented the largest operations in the history of both the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The previous largest FEMA operation was the response to the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Florida governor Jeb Bush deployed more than 3,000 national guard members to help with relief work. More than 90 voting locations were damaged, causing them to be relocated or combined with another polling place. Due to the large number of damaged or destroyed homes, Governor Bush issued an executive order that allowed absentee ballot to be forwarded by mail.

Virginia governor Mark Warner declared a state of emergency due to Jeanne's damage in the state. New Castle County, Delaware, was also designated a federal disaster area on November 15. FEMA provided about $800,000 in public and emergency work. In the days after the storm, local relief groups in Virginia began assisting residents with debris and mud removal as well as emotional support. On October 29, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Virginia Department of Taxation announced that they would provide deadline extensions for residents in disaster areas in western Virginia. The Virginia Employment Commission also announced that they would be assisting those who lost their jobs with acquiring a new one. Throughout the state, roughly $1.6 million was approved for 964 homeowners and businesses affected by Jeanne. Nearly $600,000 of these funds were granted for Salem City.

See also

  • List of Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes
  • List of Florida hurricanes (2000–present)
  • Hurricanes in Hispaniola
  • Timeline of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season

Notes

References

  • NHC's public advisory archive on Hurricane Jeanne
  • HPC's public advisory archive on TD Jeanne