LAKELAND -- The three hurricanes that hit Polk County in August and September caused a staggering $1.2 billion in damage to buildings countywide, based on updated estimates provided by officials this week.  The cost of other storm-related items such as debris cleanup, utility repair and agricultural damage will drive the price much higher. In the short term, people will wait months to have damaged homes repaired.

Jeanne's $300 million impact was far less than Charley's, which caused an estimated $770 million in damage. Charley caused major damage to 282 businesses compared to 119 businesses damaged by Jeanne. Charley caused major damage to 1,600 single-family homes and 1,541 mobile homes.

Jeanne left 717 single-family homes and 660 mobile homes with major damage.  Overall, Charley damaged 22,195 structures; Jeanne, 21,064; Frances, 9,969.  Nearly 1,000 structures, most of them mobile homes, were destroyed by Jeanne. Even Frances, the least damaging of the three at $120 million, had a severe impact on some residents.