North Carolina
Thanks to its vulnerable location on the Atlantic Coast, no fewer than 50 hurricanes have hit North Carolina since 1851. According to the North Carolina State Climatology Office, a tropical storm is bound to hit the state every four years.
The state hasn’t been directly hit by hurricanes as often as Florida, Louisiana, or Texas, but 17.5% of all hurricanes in the Atlantic hit North Carolina, too. Over the years, these disastrous hurricanes caused damages worth $11 billion and 1,000 deaths.
South Carolina
Even if hurricanes have sporadically hit South Carolina, this doesn’t mean that 30 hurricanes aren’t an impressive number. In fact, some of the most unforgettable storms that struck the Atlantic Coast, meaning Hazel (which was a Category 4) and Gracie (Category 3), caused no less than $27 million in damage and ruined most of the crop.
Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi
The next states are Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Alabama was hit by 27 hurricanes, Georgia by 22, and Mississippi by 19. Even if the coastal position of each and every one of these states makes them wonderful attraction spots for tourists, they still represent extremely vulnerable locations, especially during tropical storms and hurricane disasters.
I must say that it’s not that uncommon for coastal cities to be dramatically damaged by hurricanes that hit nearby states, and it might happen in many different ways, whether we’re talking about flooding, loss of power, and even damage to all properties near shores.
New York and Virginia
The last two states that lie along the Atlantic coast are New York and Virginia. New York was hit by 12 hurricanes, and Virginia by 11. In fact, according to the New York Times, Hurricane Irene, which made landfall 12 years ago, caused no less than $7 billion and $10 billion in damages to nearby states, like North Carolina, Connecticut, and Vermont, but also to New York.
A lot of homes were left without electric power, five people were killed, and public transportation was completely halted for many weeks. On a similar note, Virginia went through several power outages as a direct result of storm surges.
If you’re curious to know more about hurricanes, here’s what we recommend: 10 Steps To Prepare For A Hurricane
