At least 23 people have been killed in Florida due to Hurricane Milton which struck the US last week. The city is hit by power supply and gas shortages. However, the place is on the path of recovery.
US President Joe Biden, who visited the affected areas, said, “Thankfully, the storm’s impact was not as cataclysmic as they predicted,” He took stock of the situation from the air on Sunday.
“For some individuals it was cataclysmic. Not only for those individuals who lost their homes, but more importantly those folks who lost their lives, lost family members, lost all their personal belongings. Entire neighbourhoods were flooded and millions, millions without power.”
As the city is limping back to normalcy, let’s take a look at the list of 26 of the worst hurricanes in US history:
Great Galveston Hurricane (1900)
The year 1900 will always be remembered in United States history since it was the year that witnessed the Galveston hurricane that killed anywhere between 6000 and 12000 lives. The largest estimated toll stood at 8000 dead with the majority of deaths in Texas.
Not just in terms of casualties, the hurricane made the lives miserable for the survivors too as 10,000 people became homeless in a matter of weeks with 3600 buildings being destroyed.
The Great Miami Hurricane (1926)
The Great Miami Hurricane wreaked havoc in the Greater Miami area of Florida, the Bahamas and the US Gulf Coast in September 1926. At least 373 people died due to the intense tropical cyclone. However, the real impact was on the economy as it ended the land boom in Florida.
The total damage was estimated at around $105 million (as per the US dollar value in 1926). If it had hit in 2018, the damages would have stood at $235 billion.
Okeechobee Hurricane (1928)
It was next only to the 1900 Galveston hurricane that caused devastation. At the initial stage, it was predicted that the death toll stood at 1,836, but the National Weather Service later claimed that at least 2500 lost their lives. It was noted that the actual number will never be known as many bodies had washed out to the Everglades.
Labor Day Hurricane (1935)
It remains one of four Category 5 hurricanes on record to strike the contiguous United States, apart from Hurricane Camille (1969), Hurricane Andrew (1992), and Hurricane Michael (2018).
The estimated death from The Labor Day Hurricane (1935) stood at 408, out of which 244 were declared dead, with 165 missing.
New England Hurricane, 1938
As per the National Weather Service, the powerful hurricane killed approximately 600 and destroyed 8,900 buildings, resulting in 63000 people homeless in Long Island and Southern New England. Further, it brought down over 2 billion trees.
Last but not least, it caused property losses estimated at $306 million ($4.7 billion in 2024). The impact was such that the damaged trees and buildings were still seen in the affected areas even after 13 years.
Hurricane Audrey (1957)
It is considered the sixth deadliest hurricane in US history. While there were 400 confirmed casualties, the death toll was estimated at 600 as many people went missing as the hurricane struck the southwestern Louisiana coast. The unusual June storm shocked people as they were unprepared for it.
Hurricane Betsy, 1965:
The devastation caused by the hurricane earned the moniker – Billion-Dollar Betsy. It wreaked havoc in New Orleans and the Louisiana area. At least 80 people were killed and it caused US$1.4 billion in damage. The Army Corps of Engineers were ordered to come up with a massive flood-protection system for New Orleans which fell apart in 2005.
Hurricane Camille (1969)
Billed as the second-most intense storm to make landfall in the US, it stuck hard across southeast Mississippi and southwest Alabama. Over 259 were killed in the US alone and caused $1.42 billion in damages.
Hurricane Agnes (1972)
While this hurricane had taken a toll from the Caribbean to Canada, Pennsylvania was badly hit. A total of 15 states were affected in the US with 3,351 houses being destroyed. Reports claimed that farm buildings and small businesses faced the brunt of nature’s fury with 119 deaths in the US alone with Pennsylvania alone losing 50 lives. It was easily the costliest hurricane of its time with $2.1 billion in damage.
Hurricane Hugo (1989)
The powerful hurricane left a trail of destruction across the northeastern Caribbean and the Southeastern United States. In fact, it was the strongest storm to hit the US in two decades. While 67 people lost their lives, the damages were estimated at $11 billion which might have been equivalent to $27 billion in 2023.
Hurricane Andrew (1992)
This hurricane caused 26 direct deaths and 39 indirect deaths after hitting South Florida before making a second U.S. landfall in Louisiana. Three were killed in the Bahamas. According to the National Weather Service, there was $27 billion in damages in 1992 dollars in the United States, while it was estimated to be around $250 million in the Bahamas.
Hurricane Iniki (1992)
Hawaii was hit by a powerful hurricane, causing over $3 billion in damages at that time. It had taken the residents and tourists by surprise. Thousands of people were homeless and there was no electricity for weeks. It came just weeks after Hurricane Andrew.
However, the Jurassic Park team led by Steven Spielberg was in Hawaii when the hurricane hit the island. The 130-member crew stayed in a hotel during Iniki’s passage.
Hurricane Fran (1996)
An estimated 36 fatalities in the US were reported due to Hurricane Fran in 1996. Two million people were affected by the power outage as were 4000 power poles in North and South Carolina, and Virginia. Some estimates claimed that North Carolina suffered approximately $5 billion in damages.
Hurricane Georges
Hurricane Georges was a powerful and long-lived tropical cyclone that caused a trail of destruction with seven landfalls from the Caribbean to the Gulf of Mexico. In the US, there were 11 deaths reported with Puerto Rico recording 7 casualties. The 7 places reported 6 billion in damages.
Hurricane Opal (1995)
The deadly hurricane slammed along the northern Gulf Coast of the United States resulting in large-scale destruction in 1995. There were 63 deaths across the countries. It had caused damage to infrastructure, including water, sewer systems, and roads. Overall, the US had suffered $5 billion in damage.
Hurricane Floyd (1999)
Hurricane Floyd hit the Bahamas and the East Coast of the United States. It turned out to be the deadliest hurricane since 1972 with 85 deaths across 10 states in the US and $6.5 billion in damages. Around 2.6 million people were evacuated from the coastal areas in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas which remains the fourth largest evacuation in US history.
Hurricane Isabel (2003)
Twelve districts were affected by Hurricane Isabel in 2003 out of which Virginia was badly hit with 22 deaths. 35 casualties were reported in the US. 6 million people were impacted by the power outage. It has to be noted Hampton Roads and Northeast North Carolina areas did not have power for almost a month.
Hurricane Katrina (2005)
It was one of the five deadliest hurricanes to ever strike the US as it took 1,833 lives.
Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama were impacted, with New Orleans hit the hardest as 80% of the was city underwater. Just weeks later, Hurricane Rita struck extending the destruction from eastern Texas to western Florida.
The two hurricanes scattered tens of thousands of drums, storage tanks, and containers filled with oil, chemicals, and hazardous materials along the coast. Winds and floodwaters also damaged, wrecked, and sank thousands of vessels across the Gulf Coast.
Hurricane Ike (2008)
At least, 196 people lost their lives due to Hurricane Ike in 2008 out of which 113 were from the US alone. It brought destruction across the upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts. Electricity turned out to be a major problem in the affected regions.
Hurricane Irene (2011)
The East Coast of the United States was badly hit by Hurricane Irene in 2011, with 40 direct deaths and 8 indirect deaths. The damage was estimated at approximately $13.5 billion.
Hurricane Sandy (2012)
The deadly and destructive tropical cyclone affected 24 states in the US. From Florida to Maine and west across the Appalachian Mountains to Michigan and Wisconsin. The entire seaboard was hit by Hurricane Sandy. New Jersey and New York were the worst hit. A total of 158 deaths were reported across the country and the estimated damages stood at $65 billion.
Hurricane Matthew (2016)
Hurricane Matthew brought widespread devastation to the southeastern United States. A total of 13 people (10 direct and three indirect) died due to the hurricane with property damages estimated at $10 billion. Notably, 1 million were hit by power supply in Florida, and 478,000 customers in Georgia and South Carolina. It also caused flooding in the Carolinas and Virginia.
Hurricane Harvey (2017)
Hurricane Harvey unleashed fury on the Texas coast and Louisiana, causing widespread flooding. There were 107 deaths due to storm-related incidents, with Texas alone reporting 103 fatalities. The estimated damages stood at $158.8 billion, becoming the second-most costly hurricane in the United States after Katrina in 2005.
Hurricane Irma (2017)
It was an intense hurricane to hit the continental United States and a major hurricane to make landfall in Florida. 7.7 million people were hit by power supply at some point of time and bringing at least $50 billion in damage to Florida. About 9000 flights were cancelled in view of the storm. In a rare occurrence, Walt Disney Resort was closed for three days.
Hurricane Maria (2017)
The deadly tropical cyclone brought unprecedented tragedy to the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico as 2,975 were killed. It also struck the country of Dominica and the territory of the US Virgin Islands. Lack of electricity and clean water brought chaos and at least 3.4 million people were pushed into a humanitarian crisis. Tourism and the local economy were also hit.
Hurricane Michael (2018)
A category five hurricane, it had a devastating impact on the Florida Panhandle. A total of 16 people were killed – 7 in Florida, 5 in Virginia, 3 in North Carolina and 1 in Georgia. The estimated damages stood at $25.5 billion with 1,584 buildings in the city being destroyed in the US.
