Featured Image Credit: NOAA
Within the past century, South Carolina has been hit with billion-dollar storms and hurricanes causing nearly 100 deaths. This year, with the predictions leaning towards a more active Atlantic storm year, the first day of hurricane season isn’t something to be happy about.
Here are some of the worst storms to hit South Carolina in the last century:
Hurricane Hugo:
According to the Department of Natural Resources, when Hurricane Hugo landed on Sullivans Island in 1989 top winds were measured at 140 miles-per-hour. This Category 4 storm managed to travel all the way from West Africa to South Carolina. Hugo traveled up to Columbia during the early morning hours, causing about $7 billion in damage and killing 49 people. About 60,000 people lost their homes due to the storm.
Image Credit: Hugh Morton. North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, UNC Chapel Hill
Hurricane Hazel:
Hurricane Hazel’s winds were at about 140 miles-per-hour when it hit near Little River. In 1954, this Category 4 storm made landfall in the little border town between North and South Carolina. The residents were only given a 24-hour heads up about the hurricane, which caused it about $163 million in damage and 95 deaths, and it continued to move north towards Canada. According to the Department of Natural Resources, every pier in Myrtle Beach and many beach-front homes were destroyed.
Image Credit: Beaufort County Library
Hurricane Gracie:
As Hurricane Gracie took aim at South Carolina, the residence on the coast prepared for a Category 4 hurricane. Luckily, before making landfall, Gracie was downgraded to a Category 3, with maximum winds at 125 miles-per-hour. Overall, the storm wracked up $14 million worth of damage and 22 deaths. About half of that damage was in Charleston County.
Image Credit: Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel
Hurricane Matthew:
Although only a Category 1 storm, Hurricane Matthew caused enough damage to retire its name from the list of Atlantic Hurricane names, according to the National Weather Service. The storm was the most powerful of the 2016 storm season. Before hitting South Carolina, the hurricane made three different landfalls. Winds were measured at 87 miles-per-hour in Hilton Head. Matthew cause 25 deaths in North Carolina and 4 deaths in South Carolina and an estimated $10.3 billion in damage.
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