Hurricanes have left a lasting legacy of destruction and loss. These powerful storms have claimed thousands of lives over the centuries, altering coastlines and erasing communities. They forever changed the way people understand and prepare for hurricanes. From the Last Island hurricane in 1856 to more recent storms, each event has a deadly combination of storm surges, powerful winds, and flooding that can occur when massive weather systems make landfall.
This history serves as a sobering reminder and a lesson of preparation and resilience.
9. The Last Island Hurricane
The Last Island Hurricane hit the Louisiana coast in 1856, sadly claiming the lives of around 400 people. This storm caused devastating damage to Last Island, which was a popular resort area at the time. NOAA reported that the island was left devastated, with nearly all vegetation wiped out. It was also split in half by the storm’s fierce winds and flooding, and this is a grim reminder of the power hurricanes hold, even in the pre-modern era of meteorology.
8. Labor Day Hurricane
This was one of the most intense hurricanes to ever make landfall in the US, according to the National Hurricane Center. It struck Florida in September last year, and it brought catastrophic winds. This hurricane claimed the lives of 408 people, and many of the victims were World War veterans who were working in the Floridan Keys at that time. Tragically, while they were building a highway in the area, the storm struck, and they were caught in the island chain.
The Labor Day Hurricane remains a huge reminder of nature’s deadly power and the human toll such a storm can exact.
7. Hurricane Audrey
In June 1957, Louisiana was struck by a deadly and destructive storm that claimed the lives of 416 people. Powerful 8- to 12-foot storm surges caused flooding in southwestern Louisiana, pushing inland, according to the National Hurricane Center. This storm left $150 million in damage. Audrey’s fast intensification made it one of the most tragic hurricanes in US history, highlighting the dangerous combination of high winds and storm surges.
6. Georgia/South Carolina Hurricane
In August 1881, a devastating and unexpected storm caught coastal residents off guard. This Category 2 hurricane made landfall during high tide and brought destruction, claiming the lives of 700 people. It struck nearly seven decades before hurricanes were given names, and it’s remembered for its deadly impact on the Georgia coastline and surrounding areas. There was an unexpected arrival that caused significant loss of life, underscoring the dangers of storms in the era before modern forecasting and warning systems.
The Sea Islands Hurricane hit Savannah, Georgia, in 1893 and brought devastating destruction. This Category 3 storm packed winds of up to 121 mph, unleashing a massive 16-foot storm surge, claiming the lives of 2,000 people, and 30,000 others became homeless. One of three deadly hurricanes during the 1893 Atlantic hurricane season, and it caused significant damage. The losses were estimated at $1 million. The impact on coastal communities remains one of the most tragic events in US hurricane history.
5. The Cheniere Caminada Hurricane
Called the Great October Storm, it struck Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, in October 1893 and caused widespread devastation. This is a Category 4 hurricane that decimated the fishing community of Cheniere.
4. Hurricane Katrina
Striking the Gulf Coast in August 2005, it left a path of catastrophic destruction. According to the NHN, this storm caused 1,200 deaths, 1,000 estimated in Louisiana, 200 in Mississippi, and seven in southern Florida.
New Orleans faced the worst devastation, and surrounding Louisiana communities, though Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida faced significant impacts. Massive flooding caused by storm surges left the New Orleans area submerging large parts of the city and its eastern suburbs. Katrina is one of the most devastating and deadly hurricanes in US history.
3. Okeechobee hurricane
The 1928 hurricane was a devastating storm, claiming the lives of at least 2,500 people, moving through Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and the southern United States. This storm caused widespread destruction, with the worst damage occurring around Lake Okeechobee in Florida. According to the National Hurricane Center, this hurricane triggered a lake surge of 6 to 9 feet, flooding the surrounding areas and causing the deaths of 1836 people in Florida alone.
This hurricane destroyed homes and buildings in Puerto Rico and killed 312 people, causing an estimated $50 million in property damage. An additional 18 fatalities were reported in the Bahamas, and Florida saw $25 million in damage.
Okeechobee Hurricane remains one of the most destructive and deadliest storms in US history.
2. Hurricane Maria
This Category 4 storm devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, leaving the island in a crisis for months. Initially, 64 deaths were reported, and a 2018 study by George Washington University revised the toll to a true number of 2,975. This difference was described as “excess mortality,” and it represents the devastating human toll of Hurricane Maria.
1. The Great Galveston Hurricane
Striking the Gulf Coast of Texas in 1900, this hurricane devastated the island city of Galveston. This remains the deadliest weather disaster in US history, and it claimed probably more than 8000 lives. Some estimates reached 12,000 fatalities, and the storm caused an estimated $30 million in property damage, according to NHC. This catastrophic hurricane reshaped Galveston and stands as a reminder of nature’s potential for destruction.
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