Posted on
September 12, 2008 in
It turns out that storm tides were largely responsible for the 6,000-12,000 deaths in the Galveston Storm of 1900 (the deadliest natural disaster in the United States, even now). Those tides were 8 to 15 feet.
Since then the elevation of the city has been raised, but with a storm surge up to 22 feet above sea level expected, it is foolhardy to remain on the island, as up to 40% of Galveston’s population has reportedly done.
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I’ve heard that 9 out of 10 hurricane fatalities are caused by the storm surge, not the wind. So the most important single trick to hurricane survival is to stay on high ground. Do that, and you’re 90% done with hurricane preparation.
From what I understand, Galveston Island in 1900 had no two-story buildings, so when the 15-foot surge hit, it submerged everything, even people standing on the roofs of their homes.
If the worst-case happens, a surge of 25 feet will overtop the flood walls of Galveston, but if the people remaining in the flood zones can get to some tall, well-constructed buildings, they should survive okay.