of Florida. Severe damage occurred to the oyster crop, and of sand was washed away along portions of the Florida Panhandle. Elena also dropped heavy rain in the Big Bend area, where precipitation peaked at in Cross City. Tornadoes in the Tampa Bay area also caused some damage, mostly to mobile home parks. Despite landfall in Mississippi as a Category 3 hurricane, sustained winds in the state only reached , recorded in Harrison County, Ocean Springs, and Pascagoula. Severe wind damage occurred particularly in Pass Christian, where at least 75% of homes suffering losses. Throughout the Gulf Coast region, 294 single family homes were destroyed, while 17,189 were damaged to varying degrees. About 541 mobile homes were destroyed and an additional 2,642 suffered damage. The destruction of 239 apartments and condominiums, as well as impact to 1,909 other units were reported. Elena caused $1.3 billion in damage. In addition, there were nine total fatalities, including two in Texas from storm-induced rip currents; this was considered a low number, most likely the result of the massive evacuations prior to landfall. Tropical Storm Fabian The remnants of Tropical Depression Six drifted northeastward and crossed Hispaniola on September 15. Later that day, the remnants of the depression emerged into the Atlantic Ocean. It combined with the remnants of a frontal system and quickly developed into a surface low. At 1800 UTC on September 15, Tropical Depression Seven formed about north-northeast of Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos Islands. The depression was steered northeastward by a frontal trough, which was extending northeastward into the Atlantic. It is estimated that the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Fabian at 1800 UTC on September 16, which was when a reconnaissance aircraft reported an atmospheric pressure of . At 0700 UTC on September 17, the depression was operationally upgraded to a tropical storm. Fabian strengthened further and at 0945 UTC on that day, the storm attained its peak intensity with winds of and a minimum atmospheric pressure of . A low-pressure area began developing along the frontal trough, causing the storm to accelerate eastward. The ship Vant recorded winds as high as while passing between Fabian and the developing low pressure system on September 17 and September 18. At around 1800 UTC on September 19, Fabian was absorbed by the low-pressure area about southeast of Flores Island, Azores. Hurricane Gloria A tropical wave developed into Tropical Depression Eight on