I must admit I am puzzled. There was ample warning and accurate prediction of Mike days before landfall - and people didn't prepare? - buy a bit of canned food and fill containers with water, check conditions around the house, etc.

I was intrigued by the comment that food in the fridge had spoiled two days after the event. Food might not be really cold, but certainly should be edible, with a bit of preparation.

Frankly, my impulse would be to drive about two hundred miles and get out of the way of the coming storm - inconvenient, to be sure, but way better than staying. Of course, individual circumstances vary, and this may not be feasible for all, but still...