Which hurricanes have produced the worst U.S. damage in the last several years?
Some of the greatest hurricane damage can occur from flooding after landfall, when the winds typically weaken but heavy rainfall may continue. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd’s approach triggered the largest peacetime evacuation in U.S. history, but its worst impacts occurred well after landfall, particularly in North Carolina. Primarily through flooding, Floyd killed millions of animals and over 77 people, the largest human death toll related to a U.S. hurricane since 1972. In June 2001, the remnants of Hurricane Allison resulted in the most extensive flooding ever associated with a U.S. tropical storm. In the Houston metropolitan area, where more than 30 inches of rain were reported at several locations, damage estimates for Allison are near $2 billion, and at least 22 fatalities occurred.
