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1915 Galveston Hurricane – this killed nearly 8000 people in Texas, prompting officials to build a seawall in the area.
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1900 Galveston Hurricane – this is the worst natural disaster we've had in the US, killing as many as 12,000 people, destroying about 3600 homes and buildings.
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Hurricane Katrina – this struck Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005 and, while very destructive, it isn't the most destructive we've had. It killed more than 1800 people.
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The Great Miami Hurricane – this destroyed Miami as a category 4 storm in 1926 and would have cost more than $178 billion USD had it struck today. This is the costliest storm we've had in terms of dollars lost.
IMPORTANT POINTS IN THIS CHAPTER •
Tropical storms go by many different names depending on their intensity where they begin on earth.
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Almost all tropical storms originate within five degrees latitude of the equator.
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Most tropical storms move away from the equator region with the trade winds.
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Tropical storms must begin in an area where there is warm ocean water to draw energy from.
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Hurricanes are destructive for many reasons. There are storm surges, heavy rain, strong winds, and tornadoes to consider as damaging factors.
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Hurricanes are rated according to their windspeed.
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Up to 12,000 lives have been lost in a single hurricane event.
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Hurricanes lose their source of energy over land, which is why they dissipate soon after landfall in many cases.
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