stays there. in 2004, the sunshine state is walloped by three back-to-back storms. >> she's devastating, you know, it's just -- you know, you never expect this at all. >> reporter: the first is hurricane charlie in august 2004. it makes a last-minute curve to the right, sparing tampa, and smacking port charlotte and punta gorda leveling both communities. before it's over, the category 4 storm kills 15 and causes $15 billion in damage. before residents even have time to catch their breath, a few weeks later, hurricane francis slams into florida's east coast as a category 2 storm. six people in the u.s. are killed. then only three weeks later, hurricane gene. >> worse than the first time, a double whammy. >> reporter: gene makes landfall near stuart, florida, at virtually the same spot that francis had come ashore.