What was the most damaging hurricane in U.S. history prior to 2021?

Hurricane Katrina was a large Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 deaths and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the costliest tropical cyclone on record and is now tied with 2017's Hurricane Harvey.

The storm was the twelfth tropical cyclone, the fifth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record to make landfall in the contiguous United States.

Katrina also had a profound impact on the environment. The storm surge caused substantial beach erosion, in some cases completely devastating coastal areas. The damage from Katrina forced the closure of 16 National Wildlife Refuges. The storm caused oil spills from 44 facilities throughout southeastern Louisiana, which resulted in over 7 million US gallons (26,000 m3) of oil being leaked.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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31 Comments

John Manley

It shows how far we have come as a species when "the cost" financially outweighs the death toll. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 caused between 8000-12000 deaths. In my eyes that is far more damaging.

Marian Spitzig

What about the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926? In 2005 dollars would have more than doubled Katrina…and again the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 with up to 12000 deaths.

Special Patrol Group

The 1900 Galveston Hurricane is known as the greatest natural disaster ever to strike the United States. The storm is said to have caused at least 8,000 deaths, and by some reports as many as 12,000.

Jill Feinberg

The Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 was, according to ARCGIS, the most damaging hurricane.

Linda Lee Fraser

We had a Category 5 hit Bay County, Fl on October 10, 2018. It was catastrophic for 60 miles wide and north. We are still recovering.

Georgia Kemp

And I understand the President at the time did not even bother to visit.

Mike Reidy

I was in Florida in 2004 when Hurricane Charlie struck, we landed at Sanford Airport, in the middle of the Hurricane and drive our hire car to western Orlando, though it was a bit strange that we were virtually the only vehicle on The Highway, we then proceeded to our villa , and all jumped into The Pool with our clothes on, my mother in law was taking photos and there are flashes of lightening in the photos, we were told before boarding our plane in Glasgow, that The Hurricane was heading up The Gulf of Mexico , and Orlando would just have high winds , and heavy rain, but it changed course during our flight and almost followed the I4 from Tampa and hit Orlando head on, we didn’t know for 2 days that The Hurricane had actually Hit Orlando, as the electricity was out for those 2 days, we’re very fortunate not to have been seriously injured, when we saw the damage to other housed, with virtually no damage to our Villa!

Stephanie Fox

*my grandma's stories about this. My bad?

Jerry Edwards

billyboy915, Well put. In answer to your question, of course we don't give up. It'll be a very long hard slog, but we should keep on fighting to the bitter end in our quest to stay on this planet.

bettye

Most damaging, not most deadly. They rate tornadoes the same way, by the dollars in damage.

Stephanie Fox

skrueger, thank you for your reply. Yes, you are correct. Galveston's downfall put my hometown Houston, on the map. Houston's boom started once, the ship channel was developed.

skrueger

Stephanie Fox, Before the hurricane, Galveston was the largest city in Texas by population. They did build a seawall and raised the land of the city by 15 feet with fill dirt before rebuilding. But Houston became the largest city since it was 45 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

Stephanie Fox

The Galveston hurricane of 1900 was the deadliest. The city never really recovered, after this storm. Prior to this, Galveston was very prosperous. I remember listening to my stories about this.

Ken Putnam

Chris Braid, how so?

Francie Carlson

We got damage from Katrina and Sandy.

Special Patrol Group

Johnny Rock, The question asks what was the most damaging hurricane in U.S. history, therefore it should have been an option.

billyboy915

Jerry Edwards, Does that mean we do nothing to make corrections? Should we just continue in our ignorance and folly and accept, without a fight, our doomed fate?

Leapy Lee

Jas Newman, I was actually referring to the week it to Bush to mobilise the National Guard.

Chris Braid

Morally and factually wrong question.

Jerry Edwards

billyboy915, Too late to lock the gate after the horse has bolted, methinks.

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What was the most damaging hurricane in U.S. history prior to 2021?

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