List of deadliest Atlantic hurricanes

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This is a list of the deadliest known Atlantic hurricanes (those causing at least 1,000 deaths).

1 Deadliest hurricanes
2 Storms table
- 2.1 Notes
3 See also
4 Sources

[edit] Deadliest hurricanes

[edit] Great Hurricane of 1780

Main article: Great Hurricane of 1780

On October 10, 1780 a powerful hurricane approached the Lesser Antilles during the American Revolution. It slowly passed through the islands, and possibly approached the Florida coastline on the 19th. The hurricane moved out to sea, after leaving 22,000 dead, making it the deadliest Atlantic hurricane in history. Eight British warships were sunk, and the island of Barbados was completely flattened.

[edit] Hurricane Mitch

Hurricane Mitch near peak intensity

Main article: Hurricane Mitch

Hurricane Mitch formed from a tropical wave late in October of 1998 in the central Caribbean Sea. As the storm drifted over warm water it quickly intensified to a Category 5 hurricane with 180 mph (290 km/h) winds on October 26, then stalled just off the north coast of Honduras. The hurricane slowly weakened as it inched southward toward shore and then inland before drifting westward over Central America. Extreme amounts of rainfall — accumulating to a maximum of nearly 36 inches in Choluteca, Honduras — caused flooding and landslides which killed 11,000–18,000 people and caused catastrophic damage throughout Honduras and neighboring countries.

[edit] Galveston Hurricane of 1900

Aftermath of the hurricane in Galveston

Main article: Galveston Hurricane of 1900

A tropical storm formed in late August of 1900 in the central tropical Atlantic and moved across Cuba into the Gulf of Mexico. The hurricane rapidly intensified while crossing the Gulf, and made a direct strike on the booming city of Galveston, Texas on September 8 with 135 mph (215 km/h) winds. Storm surge washed over the entire island, flattening nearly all buildings in the city and killing 6,000–12,000.

[edit] Hurricane Fifi

Fifi's track across Central America

Main article: Hurricane Fifi

Fifi formed in the Caribbean Sea in mid-September of 1974 and moved westward, steadily strengthening to peak at 110 mph (175 km/h) winds. The hurricane paralleled the coast of Honduras, staying just offshore, before making landfall in southern Belize on September 19. Fifi dropped torrential rainfall across Central America, causing catastrophic damage and 8,000–10,000 deaths.

[edit] 1930 Dominican Republic Hurricane

The hurricane's path

Main article: 1930 Dominican Republic Hurricane

A tropical system formed in late August of 1930 in the open Atlantic. It crossed the Lesser Antilles and strengthened as it moved toward Hispaniola. The hurricane made landfall in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on September 3 as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. The storm leveled the city, and caused between 2,000 and 8,000 fatalities.

[edit] Hurricane Flora

Flora's track across the Caribbean islands

Main article: Hurricane Flora

Hurricane Flora formed in late September of 1963 in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. It moved westward, and strengthened to a major hurricane upon moving through the Windward Islands. Flora continued intensifying and became a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale just before making landfall on southwestern Haiti on October 4. It drifted westward through Cuba, turned back to the east, and accelerated to the northeast. Flora dropped torrential rainfall along its path, and was responsible for 7,186–8,000 fatalities and billions of dollars in damage, mostly in Haiti and Cuba.

[edit] Storms table

Deaths [1]	Name	Season
22,000	Great Hurricane of 1780	1780
11,000 – 18,000	Hurricane Mitch	1998
8,000 – 12,000	Galveston Hurricane	1900
8,000 – 10,000	Hurricane Fifi	1974
2,000 – 8,000	1930 Dominican Republic Hurricane	1930
7,186 – 8,000	Hurricane Flora	1963
6,000+	Pointe-a-Pitre Bay Hurricane	1776
4,000 – 4,163+	Newfoundland Hurricane	1775
4,075+	1928 Okeechobee Hurricane	1928
3,433+	Hurricane San Ciriaco	1899
2,500 – 3,107	Cuba Hurricane	1932
3,037	Hurricane Jeanne	2004
3,000+	Central Atlantic Hurricane	1782
3,000+	Martinique Hurricane	1813
2,000 – 3,000	Yucatan Hurricane	1934
30 – 3,000	Cuba Hurricane	1791
1,500 – 2,500	Barbados Hurricane	1831
1,500 – 2,500	Belize Hurricane	1931
1,168 – 2,150	Caribbean Hurricane	1935
2,063+	Hurricane David	1979
2,000+	Florida Hurricane	1781
2,000	Straits of Florida Hurricane	1870
1,000 – 2,500	Sea Islands Hurricane	1893
2,000	Gulf of Mexico Hurricane	1780
1,800 – 2,000	1893 Chenier Caminanda Hurricane	1893
136 – 2,000	Cuba Hurricane	1870
up to 2,000	Caribbean Hurricane	1666
1,836+	Hurricane Katrina	2005
1,600	Martinique Hurricane	1767
1,500	Mexico Hurricane	1909
up to 1,500	Cuba and Florida Hurricane	1644
372 – 1,300+	Caribbean Hurricane	1824
1,300	Nicaragua Hurricane	1605
1,145	Hurricane Gordon	1994
42 – 1,090	Jamaica and Cuba Hurricane	1780
1,090	Straits of Florida Hurricane	1622
1,000+	Gulf of Mexico Hurricane	1590
1,000+	Barbados Hurricane	1694
1,000 – 2,500	Bahamas Hurricane	1715
43 – 1,000	Havana Hurricane	1768
1,000	Veracruz Hurricane	1601
600 – 1,200	Hurricane Hazel	1954
1,000	Hurricane Inez	1966

[edit] Notes

Hurricane Stan is not on this list because, according to the NHC, it was only directly responsible for 80-100 deaths. The majority of the deaths (2,000+) were caused by non-tropical rains in Stan's vicinity.
Hurricane Katrina's numbers are still subject to change.