Ever wonder how big these super storms could possibly get? Check out the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900. The storm hit the Texas coast and killed around 12,000 citizens. A storm surge reaching up to 15 feet with lack of warning caused the highest death toll of any hurricane to hit the U.S. Check out these pictures of the damage the storm caused:
Here’s a data chart mapping the top 5 deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history:
What’s interesting is that they were not all category 5 hurricanes. Perhaps the lack of warning and preparation is what led to the large amount of deaths, especially since the majority were in the early 1900’s or late 1800’s where the technology and resources were not available. Hurricane Katrina, however, was only categorized as a category 3 hurricane and is probably the hurricane that has gained the most recognition in the past decade due to its significant impact on the Gulf Coast.
