The picture to the left shows the main entrance of the Aventura Palace Resort after the departure of Wilma.

After setting the all time record for the lowest recorded pressure in the Atlantic basin as a powerful Category 5 hurricane in the western Caribbean, Hurricane Wilma weakened to a still powerful Category 4 storm. On October 21, 2005, Wilma slowly crossed over Cozumel as a strong Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds reported at up to 144 miles per hour. The approach of such an intense storm shut down everything in it’s path, leaving thousands of foreign tourists and visitors stranded far from home. Uncertain of what the future held, these refugees were herded into the closest storm shelter to wait. There they sat as Wilma stalled over the Yucatan Peninsula and ripped Cancun to pieces; from the buildings to the local infrastructure, nothing escaped her wrath. Days later, the survivors emerged from their makeshift shelters and beheld a ravaged landscape littered with debris and destruction. For many, unfortunately, the storm was only the beginning of the misfortune; they now had to find their way home.

This site is dedicated to those refugees.

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