What Are the 5 Deadliest Hurricanes in US History?

1. Galveston Hurricane

September 8, 1900

The Category 4 hurricane, which made landfall in Galveston on September 8th, ranks as the deadliest hurricane in US history. As a tropical cyclone, it was first detected by a ship well east of the Windward Islands on August 27. After traveling through South Florida and Louisiana, Galveston was impacted by a storm surge more than 15 feet tall with winds surpassing 135 mph.

The hurricane flattened more than 3,600 buildings leaving many people homeless. It killed at least 8,000 people, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. The damage was estimated at over $34 million.

Death toll: 8,000+

2. Lake Okeechobee Hurricane

September 17, 1928

The Category 4 hurricane, also known as the San Felipe Segundo hurricane, developed off the west coast of Africa on September 6 as a tropical depression. After making landfall in Puerto Rico it traveled to the south shore of Lake Okeechobee on September 17. There, the 10-foot surge washed over the lake’s 5-8 feet dikes and flooded an area 75 miles wide.

Homes along the lake were destroyed by the storm surge, while dwellings within the city of Okeechobee were severely damaged or demolished by winds of at least 90 mph. An estimated 1,836 to 2,500 people died in Okeechobee, according to the National Weather Service. The damage was estimated at $25 million.

Death toll: 1,836 - 2,500

3. Katrina Hurricane

Barber Shop located in Ninth Ward, New Orleans damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 (Credit: Library of Congress)

August 29, 2005

Katrina originated over the Bahamas on August 23. The storm strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico but eventually weakened to a Category 3 hurricane as it made landfall over Louisiana and Mississippi on August 29th.

Storm surge was as high as 12-14 feet and likely close to 20 feet along the Mississippi-Alabama border. An estimated 1,833 people died, according to the National Weather Service. Katrina caused over $108 billion in damage, making it the costliest hurricane ever to strike the US according to National Geographic.

Death toll: 1,833

4. Cheniere Caminada Hurricane

House after the 1893 Cheniere Caminada Hurricane (Credit: Wikipedia)

October 2, 1893

The Category 4 hurricane, also known as the Great October Storm, struck southeast Louisiana near Cheniere Caminada on the morning of October 2, with peak wind speeds of 135 mph. The hurricane continued to the northeast, crossing the northern Gulf of Mexico for a few hours, then hitting in southeast Mississippi.

The surge was up to 16 feet, with heavy surf above it. Nearly 1,400 people are estimated to have died wiping out a Louisiana fishing community and as many as 2,000 people across the Gulf Coast, according to LSU Libraries. The hurricane caused about $5 million in damage.

Death toll: 1,400 - 2,000

5. Sea Islands Hurricane

House after the 1893 Sea Islands Hurricane (Credit: CBS News/American Red Cross)

August 27, 1893

The Sea Islands hurricane moved to the southeast coast before making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Savannah, Georgia on August 27. It moved through South Carolina and up the East Coast before becoming extratropical over the Canadian Maritime Provinces on September 1st.

The storm carried estimated 120 mph winds and a storm surge of 16 feet, which completely submerged many of the Sea Islands. An estimated 1,000 to 2,000 people died, most as a result of the storm surge. Damages from the hurricane totaled at least $1 million, according to Hurricane Science.

Death toll: 1,000 - 2,000

Summary

In all, the 5 deadliest hurricanes in US History (Galveston, Lake Okeechobee, Katrina, Cheniere Caminanda, and Sea Islands) left a devastating trail of destruction. They resulted in over 15,000 deaths, millions of dollars in damages, and hundreds of thousands of evacuees scattered far and wide.

Don't be caught unprepared. Hurricane season typically runs from June 1 to November 30 in the US. Learn more about hurricane preparedness so you'll be ready for the next big storm.

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