Guadeloupe received a direct hit from the storm, apparently with little warning and damage reports indicated “great destruction” on the island. A boat at the boathouse near the Florida East Coast Railroad bridge was swept out of the building. [33] After the dike at Lake Okeechobee failed, water reached at least 7 ft (2.1 m) above ground in portions of Belle Glade. [112] In Okeechobee County, homes along the lake were destroyed by the storm surge, while dwellings within the city of Okeechobee were severely impacted or demolished by winds of at least 90 mph (140 km/h). Early o… "[67] Only two buildings remained standing on the north side of the street between Dixie Highway and Olive Avenue, owning to the frail construction of the business buildings in that section of the city. The fourth tropical cyclone, third hurricane, and only major hurricane of the 1928 season, this system developed just offshore the west coast of Africa on September 6. [92] Further east, water reached 3 ft (0.91 m) in height at Everglades Experiment Station. A few buildings constructed by Henry Flagler, such as The Breakers, the Royal Poinciana Hotel, and Whitehall were damaged. [133] The Red Cross would also issued passes. On one street, only two houses did not lose either their walls or roof. The worst hit region, however, was Lake Okeechobee… Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church lost many bricks on its front facade and much of the metal grillwork around the entrances,[71] while the building itself was deroofed. The Okeechobee Hurricane or Hurricane San Felipe Segundo … [36] At the Cloister Inn, windows were shattered and the roof was damaged. conditions in stricken area … [104] But the city was eventually rebuilt by founder Arthur Wells. [17], Many other individuals and organizations contributed to relief efforts. The storm particularly affected New England as one of its worst storms on record. A great number of houses and buildings were swept away in the storm. The storm killed at least 1,100 people. Residents had been warned to evacuate the low ground earlier in the day, but after the hurricane did not arrive on schedule, many thought it had missed and returned to their homes. With the need for additional cots and blankets, a request for them was sent to the United States Army, which promptly sent 2,000 cots and 1,000 blankets from Fort McPherson in Georgia to relief centers in Belle Glade, Boynton Beach, Canal Point, Jupiter, Kelsey City, Pahokee, Riviera Beach, and West Palm Beach. Bror G. Dahlberg, Congressmen Herbert J. Drane and William J. Sears of Florida's 1st and 4th congressional districts respectively, Fred Henry Davis, former Congressman Walter F. Lineberger from California, and U.S. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Our funeral home remains committed to safeguarding the health of the families we serve. Brunswick, pictured, was most affected; a 16-foot surge was recorded. Martin also described the scene: In the six miles between Pahokee and Belle Glade I counted twenty-seven corpses in water or on the roadside but not taken from the water. The 1915 Galveston hurricane killed 275 people. [90] The Delray Beach City Council issued a similar order. They would tie usually about half a dozen bodies together by the ankle and then load them onto trucks. [97] Overall, approximately 75% of buildings and homes in the city were destroyed, with the bank and school house being "probably the only two buildings left standing in any substantial condition. The pressure at Canal Point dropped to 942 mbar (27.82 inHg). [77] Payne Chapel AME Church, then located at Banyan Boulevard and Tamarind Avenue, was destroyed by the storm. [33], As the rear eyewall passed over the area, the flood reversed itself, breaking the dikes along the northern coast of the lake and causing a similar but smaller flooding. The Wikipedia article of the day for February 7, 2016 is 1928 Okeechobee hurricane. Okeechobee has 14th COVID-19 related death. Okeechobee County ICU beds were at capacity on Jan. 6, … Buildings with well-constructed frames, and those made of steel, concrete, brick, or stone were largely immune to the winds, and the use of shutters prevented damage to windows and the interior of the buildings. A tropical depression developed just offshore the west coast of Africa on September 6. Much of the damage from the hurricane of '24 had been repaired, with the island (relatively) prosperous. [120] Throughout Polk County, 10% of oranges and about 50% of grapefruit were lost, respectively, with the vast majority of groves losing 60% to 75% of grapefruit. [14] The Seminoles at the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation in Glades County evacuated to higher ground after observing retreating wildlife. A long term system was designed for the purpose of flood control, water conservation, prevention of saltwater intrusion, and preservation of fish and wildlife populations. Mariano Gutiérrez-Lanza of the Jesuit observatory in Belen, Cuba, agreed and noted that Cuba and Florida should not be concerned by the hurricane. [133], At the south shore Lake Okeechobee communities, Dr. Buck took charge. The roof suffered complete destruction. While crossing Florida, the system weakened significantly, falling to Category 1 intensity late on September 17. Their skippers and crews painstakingly moved the ships into Lake Worth through an inlet. [11] However, it is estimated that there were at least 2,500 deaths, primarily in the areas surrounding Lake Okeechobee. [78] Although many railroad stations south of Kelsey City were damaged, train service was restored on the morning of September 17. The board even considered protesting news agencies that write "exaggerated" reports and warned that there would be requests for retraction. [7] However, the hurricane instead moved northwestward after striking Puerto Rico. The gymnasium and auditorium collapsed. It was the second-deadliest hurricane in United States history. Senator Duncan U. Fletcher, among other members of the state's congressional delegation. The system reached Category 4 intensity before striking Guadeloupe on September 12. The next day, a ship reported winds of 60 mph (95 km/h), or tropical storm status; on this basis, the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project estimated that the system attained tropical storm status late on September 6. The storm was, at the time, the most intense hurricane ever to make landfall in the U.S. Hurricane Audrey left 416 people dead in Louisiana and Texas in June 1957. The Gulf Stream Hotel in Lake Worth was converted into a hospital. Eighty-eight years ago, a savage hurricane tore across the Caribbean, killing thousands. At Florida Southern College (FSC), the north side of the gymnasium collapsed while other buildings on campus were damaged to a less degree. [12] Dr. William J. Buck, likely the only doctor between Pahokee and Moore Haven and also president of the Belle Glade town council and the founder of the town's American Legion post, was skeptical of the Weather Bureau's predictions of the storm missing South Florida. Damage totaled around $10 million. [128] The Florida Department of Health granted the request. [90] Nearby, a building containing a restaurant, a furniture store, and a drugstore was deroofed; the 20 to 30 occupants inside fled to the Glades Hotel. "[48] Skylights at the county courthouse shattered, flooding the Criminal Court of Record rooms. Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico as a Category 4 on September 20, 2017, causing widespread damage and power outages that lasted for months. The Okeechobee Flood Control District authorized to cooperate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in flood control undertakings. Prior to the Wall Street Crash of 1929, several hotels in the area declared bankruptcy, attempted to find new investors, or changed names and management. This Hurricane was first detected over the Atlantic Ocean on August 27. Pioneer Lawrence E. Will stated that "without the stimulated effect of the whiskey ration, it is doubtful if many would have the stamina to continue. The only major hurricane of its season, it struck Guadeloupe (pictured) as a Category 4 storm on September 12, causing 1,200 deaths. The Battle of Okeechobee won’t be re-enacted this year, due to concerns about COVID-19 virus transmission where large groups of people gather. However, in 2003 the United States death count was revised as "at least" 2,500, making the Okeechobee hurricane the second-deadliest natural disaster in United States history behind the Galveston Hurricane of 1900; a mass grave at the Port Mayaca Cemetery east of Port Mayaca contains the bodies of 1,600 victims of the hurricane. [78] Waves washed up mounds of sand and debris across Banyan Boulevard, Clematis Street, and Datura Street, to Olive Avenue. [87] A house that was full of people floated about half a mile (0.8 km) from its original location. [60] Storm surge left water waist-deep in some areas. [135] Railroad companies provided free fare to storm victims until October 4, a service used by 1,427 people. In West Palm Beach, one of the most severely affected coastal cities, a total of 1,711 houses were destroyed and 6,369 others suffered damage, which left about 2,100 families homeless. [126] Winds up to 50 mph (80 km/h) impacted the Jacksonville area, resulting in minor damage at Jacksonville Beach. Otherwise, impact was primarily limited to tree branches falling onto electrical wires. Others that survived were swept far away from where the building once stood. And in the fall, a hurricane smashed the coast of Florida. One death occurred in the former,[100] caused by a man who experienced "heart trouble" following the destruction of his home. A garage, two labor cabins, and a five-room bungalow were demolished, as was a portion of the greenhouse. What was the San Felipe’s Hurricane death toll: Officially 1,836 people died around Lake Okeechobee, but a separate mass burial of black farm workers numbered hundreds more. The town rebuilt after the storm only to be hit by another major hurricane in 1886, which wiped out all but two of the town's buildings. Agricultural productivity rapidly took hold in the area due to the rich, black muck soil. The Florida East Coast Bridge lost its railing, but remained partially opened to traffic. However, Everglades News editor Howard Sharp noted that the death toll was "not understandable to the persons familiar with the region" and that "there is no 'village of Pelican Bay'". A freight train was blown off its tracks. [61] Many of the buildings that collapsed were wooden-frame, while the few concrete-built structures remained standing. Many trees were uprooted and several buildings were impacted, including the hospital and a number of businesses. [43] The bridge crossing the Intercoast Waterway was moved off its turntable and twisted sideways into the water,[39] while the approaches and tresses were wrecked. Of the inoculations distributed, there were 10,349 for typhoid, 1,025 for smallpox, and 337 for tetanus. In addition to causing damage to homes and businesses, strong winds also toppled telephone poles and overturned cars. [27], The storm produced nearly 6 in (150 mm) of rainfall in the vicinity of Homestead, leaving high water that damaged some truck crops and shrubbery. Masonic lodges throughout the United States collectively donated more than $107,000. [24], In addition to the human fatalities, 1,278 livestock and 47,389 poultry were killed, respectively. Throughout the day, hurricane warnings were also posted for the west coast from Punta Rassa to Apalachicola, and after the storm recurved, hurricane warnings were extended along the east coast to Jacksonville. • Palm Beach County has had 1,923 deaths related to COVID-19 to date and 5,104 residents hospitalized. Overall, damage in Riviera Beach reached approximately $750,000. By the afternoon of September 20, the roads were cleared from Belle Glade to the agricultural station, Chosen, and South Bay. One military officer reported to me that while in Belle Glade today for thirty minutes, ten bodies were brought in and added to the pile of bodies, thirty-seven in one pile and sixty in the other. Red Cross expenditures included about $121,200 for agricultural supplies and equipment, $39,800 for boarding and lodging of storm victims, $157,300 for building and repairs, $137,000 for clothing, $66,800 for grants to local chapters, $115,500 for family aid and service registration, $115,000 for field expensive, $40,000 for food, $83,200 for general tool and equipment expenses, $346,300 for household goods, $5,000 for the junior red cross, $71,800 for medical services, $60,300 for relief camps, $45,900 for rescue work, $11,000 for the transportation of storm victims, and $19,900 for other miscellaneous expenses. [57] At Loxahatchee Groves, almost every dwelling was knocked off their foundations. [27] The structures not suffering any damage floated away. [37] At the Japanese community known as Yamato, several frame homes were demolished, while a store was severely damaged. Copyright © 2021 CBS Interactive Inc.All rights reserved. One man was shot for refusing to do so. [132] A creamery in West Palm Beach quickly distributed 1,400 gallons of milk. Older sources usually list 3,411 as the hurricane's total count of fatalities, including the Caribbean. [46] Approximately 50 businesses were wrecked and 200 others received damage – roughly 75% of buildings in the business district. They were then exposed to the wind and rain after the roof blew off. Total damages from the storm amounted to $100 million (1928 USD) across the Caribbean and the US. [27] Nearly all small frame houses were destroyed in Deerfield Beach, while several citizens estimated that at least 50% of homes were demolished. However, according to Congressman Herbert J. Drane, little had been done to mitigate a similar disaster. On October 23, over five weeks after the storm, Florida National Guard Major B. M. Atkinson reported 2 ft (0.61 m) of standing-water along the side of the roads to Belle Glade, Okeechobee, and South Bay. The event collected about $1,000 for the victims of the storm. At least 2,500 people died when the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane swept over Puerto Rico and the southern United States. After initially reporting that 64 people were killed, the island officially raised the death toll to 2,975 in August 2018, based on the results of a new study. The Great Labor Day hurricane killed 208 people when it battered Florida in September 1935. [71] The Central Farmers Trust Company, the only bank in the city, was deroofed and flooded. [69] Despite the damage, the Palm Beach Times also published a short edition on the afternoon of September 17. The Georgia/South Carolina hurricane of August 1881 was particularly destructive because it made landfall at high tide. The golf club suffered severe roof damage, while the course was flooded with several inches to several feet of water. After that day, the Red Cross paid for the transportation of people who were destitute. Checkpoints were ordered by Palm Beach County Sheriff Robert C. Baker along the main highways at Lake Worth and Jupiter. The Southern Bell office in Delray Beach was nearly destroyed, causing workers to move the service center to a nearby building. [76] A few of the local Black churches suffered significant damage. In 1926, the Great Miami Hurricane hit the Lake Okeechobee area, killing approximately 300 people. The Ford Motor Company, the manufacturer of the tractors, sent two trucks of parts and two mechanical experts from their plant in Jacksonville. [1], After World War I, South Florida experienced a land boom. [114] Overall, 27 deaths occurred in Okeechobee County. 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