September 8, 1900:
A category 4 hurricane ripped through the port city of Galveston, Texas with winds over 135 miles per hour. Storm surges rose 15 feet and completely devastated the prosperous and, at the time, one of the biggest cities in Texas, with over 40,000 inhabitants. Galveston would go on to rebuild, but would never again be a major port of call like it once was. In the wake of the destruction, a renewed focus was brought on the study of hurricane prediction in an effort to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again. —(NOAA)
Impact:
- 6,000-12,000 fatalities
- 3,600 buildings destroyed
Related Resources:
- HSDL In Focus: Hurricanes
- FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: 1907 Elevation Saved Galveston Church From Flooding
- Famous Hurricanes of the 20th and 21st Century in the United States (1900-2008)
- HSDL search results for: Galveston Hurricane 1900
Photo: (Credit: NOAA) Wreckage covering the city of Galveston in the wake of the hurricane