September 17, 1928:
A category 4 hurricane struck the Palm Beach area of Florida bringing storm surges as high as 20 feet crashing into the barrier islands. The storm would rage over Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Pompano Beach, and Lake Okeechobee. With the high death toll, it is considered to be second worst hurricane since the Galveston Hurricane.—(NOAA)
Impact:
- >2,500 fatalities in Okeechobee alone (>4,000 fatalities overall); thousands injured
- Estimated damage cost: $32 million ($16 billion today)
Related Resources:
- HSDL In Focus: Hurricanes
- Famous Hurricanes of the 20th and 21st Century in the United States (1900-2008)
- HSDL search results for: Okeechobee Hurricane
Photo: (Credit: NOAA) Aftermath of the Okeechobee Hurricane in Florida