MIAMI BATTERED BUT NOT DESTROYED BY HURRICANE HEATHER

From the Miami Herald:

Last night at approximately 7:45 p.m. Heather slammed into the coast of Florida, centered on Key Biscayne, and hammered Miami with 175 mile per hour winds, torrential rain, and a storm surge that saw 14 feet of water flowing in the streets of the barrier islands and at least 5 feet of water on mainland streets for several hours.

Nevertheless, due in large part to combined efforts of the PTA under Director Rutherford, and a newly resurfaced band of supers, only 27 lives were lost, and no major bridges, buildings, or roadways were obliterated by the storm.

Despite the PTA's crackdown on all parahuman activity in the past several years, it was reported that a significant number of superpowered persons -- both so-called superheroes and supervillains -- appeared and attempted to assist in defense and relief efforts. Sightings included:

• The public unmasking of Iron Knight and cooperation with the PTA to help evacuate citizens from the barrier islands. In a relatively anticlimactic moment, Iron Knight reported to PTA Director Rutherford that his true identity is "Philip Walker." PTA sources are telling media outlets they believe this is a bogus identity, and analyzing Iron Knight's "unmasked" face to determine whether a second level disguise was in place. Even so, Iron Knight was spotted carrying stranded flooding victims to safety and communicating with the PTA during the storm.
  
• Various reports of a werewolf running, jumping, and swimming on Key Biscayne, assisting stranded people, including a father and daughter trapped in a truck by rising water.
• Numerous sightings of a flying female in black and gold armor and another flying female in a blue and white costume and mask, protecting the oil refinery tanks on Fisher Island from damage by floating debris. No one has yet been able to identify these two parahumans.
  
• Sightings of Miami's own Snow Angel and another unidentified "ice slinger" (whom some have suggested was a former supervillain from Atlanta called "Blizzard") coating various bridges and causeways with protective layers of ice against damage by debris, wind and water. City engineer Carlos Rodriguez surveyed the bridges this morning and reported his belief that the ice saved at least three to five bridges from severe structural damage.
• Several reports of a green-haired speedster running across the surface of rising waters carrying stranded victims to safety. Media searches have revealed that this figure may have been a small-time criminal from Pittsburgh called "Afterburner."
• Unconfirmed reports of one PTA agent named Peterson standing guard at the Command Center, and using energy bolts fired from his hands to clear debris from nearby flooded streets.
• Hundreds of other unconfirmed reports identifying everyone from Batman to Captain America to Aquaman appearing and rescuing stranded victims, saving homes and property, and generally making a grand reappearance on the scene after years' absence.
  

While many of these reports have been confirmed and documented with photographic evidence, most are unconfirmed, and PTA officials are downplaying the role of "supers" in flood relief. Director Rutherford stated

"while it is clear that some damage was avoided through the efforts of these so-called supers, the fact remains that it was the PTA, the police and fire departments, the Coast Guard, and the National Guard that did the lion's share of rescue and relief efforts, and who will be here for the long term to help Miami and the surrounding areas get back on their feet. We are disappointed with the arrogant attitude of "Iron Knight" in refusing to submit to our questioning and testing procedures to assure the safety of those he comes into contact with, and the refusal to even work with us, by the other so-called supers who chose to take matters into their own hands. However, we certainly cannot deny that they were fortunate enough not to have caused more serious damage this time."

The 27 victims of Heather were mostly those who were unable or unwilling to evacuate the barrier islands, and authorities concluded the day by mourning their loss, but acknowledging that the city seems to have escaped much more significant damage this time, and should be able to return to normal operations within a matter of days, with cleanup efforts lasting several months, and costing approximately 2 billion dollars.