The American Red Cross served 121,432 emergency meals on Tuesday alone, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which gave the new death toll from the worst hurricane to hit Florida in 12 years.

Most of the casualties have been in counties close to Fort Myers on the west coast, where Hurricane Charley first hit last Friday, destroying or damaging tens of thousands of houses and other buildings.

A emergency services spokeswoman said more than 1.94 million gallonsmillion litres) of water and 7.4 million pounds (3.35 million kilogrammes) of ice have been taken to counties declared disaster zones in the days since the hurricane.

Officials said more than 100,000 homes have no fixed telephone service and petrol supplies are scarce in many areas.

Twenty-five of Florida's 67 counties have been designated federal disaster areas, and President George W. Bush, touring the ravaged region on Sunday, promised speedy federal aid.

In Charley's chaotic wake, local conditions remain treacherous. Three people died Monday in Punta Gorda, a town almost completely demolished by the storm, in a traffic collision caused by damaged traffic signals.

State officials advised residents to stay off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary.

Search and rescue operations continue in the hardest-hit areas, said Emergency Response Team spokeswoman Kim Reed.

"At this time, the big focus is to make sure of the human aspect that everybody is safe, and directing people to the services they need," she said.

Wednesday morning more than 2,000 people remained in emergency shelters in 12 counties, state officials said.

Electricity has been restored to 1.5 million Florida residents but 438,000 are still without power and about 100,000 lack phone service.

A Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) spokeswoman said the agency, a division of the US Department of Homeland Security, has already issued more than five million dollars in disaster assistance payments to Charley's victims.

About 42,000 people have registered for federal housing, medical and reconstruction aid, she said.

In Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte and other areas devastated by the storm, a colossal disaster relief effort is underway.

Nearly 4,000 National Guard troops have been deployed to the region, and federal and state agencies are trucking in water, ice, generators and food.

"Naturally the first priority is to address the most pressing needs and the most vulnerable populations," said FEMA director Mike Brown.

Responding to reports of price gouging, Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist announced Tuesday that he had filed complaints against two hotels accused of charging "unconscionable" room rates as residents fled vulnerable coastal areas.

A spokeswoman for Crist said his office has received almost 2,000 complaints about unfair trade practices related to Hurricane Charley.

Emergency managers also warned about fly-by-night building contractors and insurance underwriters, advising those with damaged property not to pay for any repairs in advance.

The storm is estimated to have caused as much as 11 billion dollars in property damage. It is also expected to have a devastating impact on Florida's citrus industry, which contributes nine billion dollars a year to the state's economy.

Charley was the first major hurricane to strike Florida's southwest coast in over 40 years. More than two million people were advised to evacuate the strike zone, but many ignored the warnings.

TERRA.WIRE