Effects Other wikis Hurricane Wilma significantly affected the Yucatán Peninsula, bringing destruction to the area.

Wilma weakened as it moved slowly northwestward, eventually making landfall late on 21 October on the island of Cozumel.

The large and powerful hurricane dropped torrential rainfall across the northeastern Yucatán Peninsula and on offshore islands.

Wilma severely eroded the beaches of eastern Quintana Roo and caused flooding in neighboring Yucatán.

Hurricane Wilma directly inflicted about $4.8 billion (MXN, US$442 million)[nb 1] worth of damage, mostly in Quintana Roo.

[2] The hurricane was originally projected to transit the Yucatán Channel between Mexico and Cuba, but it maintained its northwest trajectory.

The NHC estimated the landfall intensity at 927 mbar (27.37 inHg), with Category 4 maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h).

[2] On 18 October, the Mexican government issued a hurricane watch for the eastern coastline of the Yucatán Peninsula from Punta Allen to Cabo Catoche, including offshore islands.

[2] Mexico's national weather service – Servicio Meteorológico Nacional – issued 88 notices or bulletins related to Hurricane Wilma.

Over a 24-hour period beginning at 12:30 UTC on October 21, a rain gauge on the offshore Isla Mujeres recorded 1,633.98 mm (64.330 in) of precipitation.

[17] Wilma was attended by a significant storm surge, estimated as high as 4.6 m (15 ft) by the NHC,[2] which resulted in extensive beach erosion.

[19] The seawater intrusion upset the microbial composition of the Nichupté Bojórquez lagoon system near Cancún,[20] and more broadly injured vegetation near the coast.

[3] Affected agricultural industries included corn, papayas, tomatoes, chili peppers, and livestock; fences, wind vanes, and other equipment were all damaged.

[3] Damage was heaviest in Quintana Roo, amounting to an estimated $4.506 billion (MXN, US$415 million); this made it the state's costliest hurricane.

[3] Wilma also damaged 98% of the hotels in Quintana Roo, which includes the resort towns of Cozumel, Cancún, and Playa del Carmen.

[28] The hurricane caused significant damage in Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, both located off the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula.

[12] The hurricane caused significant flooding damage throughout the municipalities of Benito Juárez and Solidaridad, which include Cancún and Playa del Carmen.

[24] The water level in Cancún reached the third storeys of some buildings due to 5 to 8 m (16 to 26 ft) waves atop the storm surge.

[12] The primary highway connecting Cancún and Mérida, Yucatán was impassible,[30] and workers began restoration work immediately after the storm passed.

[27] Roof damage to schools in San Felipe and Tizimín resulted in the destruction of furniture and electrical systems inside.

[32] While Cancún's airport was closed to the public, stranded visitors filled taxis and buses to Mérida, Yucatán.

Fox's Secretary of Tourism, Rodolfo Elizondo Torres, orchestrated the response with a goal of quick revival tourist areas.

[35] President Fox pledged that 75% of the hotels would be repaired by December 15, promising loans and tax breaks to restore the industry.

[38] On November 28, the Official Journal of the Federation announced a disaster area for 9 of Quintana Roo's 11 municipalities – Benito Juárez, Cozumel, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Isla Mujeres, Lázaro Cárdenas, Othon P. Blanco, and Solidaridad.

Quintana Roo's state government began a temporary work program for residents whose jobs were impacted by the hurricane.

[27] To replenish beaches, crews installed geotubes and dredged about 2.5 million m3 (660 ft3) of sand, supported by Mexico's federal government and the Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua.

[40] The agency sent 54 tons of food and water supplies to the Yucatán Peninsula, along with teams of experts to coordinate the disaster response.

[30] A Salvation Army plane dropped off 10 tons of bottled water to Cancún and took stranded tourists on its return flight.

[26] The United States Agency for International Development sent $9.8 million (US$900,000) to the Mexican Red Cross following hurricanes Stan and Wilma.