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Hurricane Hazel

Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest, second-costliest, and most intense hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm killed at least 469 people in Haiti before it struck the United States near the border between North and South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane. After causing 95 fatalities in the US, Hazel struck Canada as an extratropical storm, which raised the death toll by 81 people, mostly in Toronto. As a result of the high death toll and the damage caused by Hazel, its name was retired from use for North Atlantic hurricanes.

Hurricane Hazel
Surface weather map of Hazel near landfall in North Carolina on October 15
Meteorological history
FormedOctober 5, 1954 (October 5, 1954)
ExtratropicalOctober 15, 1954
DissipatedOctober 18, 1954 (October 18, 1954)
Category 4 hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds130 mph (215 km/h)
Lowest pressure938 mbar (hPa); 27.70 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities591–1,191
Damage$382 million (1954 USD)
Areas affectedTrinidad and Tobago, Lesser Antilles, Northern South America, Puerto Rico, Leeward Antilles, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Cuba, Lucayan Archipelago, East Coast of the United States, Ontario
IBTrACS

Part of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season

In Haiti, Hazel destroyed 40 percent of the coffee trees and 50 percent of the cacao crop, which affected the economy for several years. The hurricane made landfall near Calabash, North Carolina, and destroyed most waterfront dwellings. It then traveled north along the Atlantic coast. Hazel affected Virginia; Washington, D.C.; West Virginia; Maryland; Delaware; New Jersey; Pennsylvania; and New York. It brought gusts near 160 km/h (100 mph) and caused $281 million (1954 USD) in damage. When it was over Pennsylvania, Hazel consolidated with a cold front and turned northwest towards Canada. When it hit Ontario as an extratropical storm, rivers and streams in and around Toronto overflowed their banks, which caused severe flooding. As a result, many residential areas in the local floodplains, such as the Raymore Drive area, were subsequently converted to parkland. In Canada alone, over C$135 million (2021: C$1.4 billion) of damage was incurred.

The effects of Hazel were particularly unprecedented in Toronto because of a combination of heavy rainfall during the preceding weeks, a lack of experience in dealing with hurricanes, and the storm's unexpected retention of power despite traveling 1,100 km (680 mi) over land. The storm stalled over the Toronto area, and although it was now extratropical, it remained as powerful as a category 1 hurricane. To help with the cleanup, 800 members of the military were summoned, and a Hurricane Relief Fund was established that distributed $5.1 million (2023: $57.9 million) in aid.

Meteorological history edit

 
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
  Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

On October 5, a tropical wave with tropical-storm force winds was approaching the Lesser Antilles. Due to the potential for tropical storm formation, a Hurricane Hunters plane flew from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to investigate the system.[1] When the plane reached the system, they observed a tropical cyclone about 30 mi (48 km) east of the island of Grenada with winds estimated at 100 mph (160 km/h). The United States Weather Bureau promptly classified the system as Hurricane Hazel.[2] The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis later assessed that Hazel developed at 06:00 UTC on October 5 about 220 mi (350 km) east of Grenada. Although the Hurricane Hunters observed hurricane-force winds, the storm had a small eye 5 mi (8.0 km) in diameter and a central barometric pressure of 1,002 mbar (29.6 inHg). The 100 mph (160 km/h) winds were therefore revised downward to 65 mph (105 km/h) late on October 5, though it was estimated that the storm attained hurricane status at 00:00 UTC on October 6. At the same time, Hazel made landfall on Grenada with winds of 75 mph (121 km/h).[3]

After entering the Caribbean Sea, Hazel continued to present a small eye and wind diameter. The winds gradually increased as the storm moved westward, parallel to the northern coast of Venezuela. On October 8, the tiny eye increased to a diameter of 29 mi (47 km), while the winds reached 85 mph (137 km/h),[3] although winds were estimated as high as 125 mph (201 km/h). That day, the Hurricane Hunters encountered severe turbulence, which hospitalized one crew member and injured another.[4] For the next five days, there were no further flights into the core of the hurricane; However, the planes continued to monitor the storm, with radar imagery indicating that the eye became open and ragged. Late on October 9, it is estimated Hazel intensified into a major hurricane with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). Originally, it was estimated that Hazel attained these winds the day prior. The intensification was confirmed on October 10, when aircraft noted a well-defined eye on radar imagery.[3]

On October 10, Hazel slowed in the central Caribbean and turned sharply to the north-northeast toward Hispaniola,[3] steered by an upper-level low.[5] At 09:00 UTC on October 12, the hurricane made landfall near Chardonnières along the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti as a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. There were no strong wind readings at landfall, but based on previous radar and aircraft observations the sustained winds were officially estimated at 120 mph (190 km/h). After moving through the Gulf of Gonâve, Hazel struck northwestern Haiti near Baie-de-Henne at 00:00 UTC on October 13, as a Category 2 hurricane with winds estimated at 100 mph (160 km/h).[3] Around that time, the hurricane curved more to the north and northwest due to an approaching trough,[6] and the Hurricane Hunters resumed entering the center of Hazel, reporting an eye and hurricane force winds. At 14:00 UTC on October 13, Hazel struck Inagua in the Bahamas with winds of 100 mph (160 km/h).[3]

 
The Weston Golf Club in Toronto was left submerged after the Humber River overflowed its banks.

After affecting the Bahamas, Hazel accelerated northwest toward the southeastern United States,[3] steered between a trough and a ridge.[6] Hurricanes are generally expected to lose power after going north of Florida due to lower water temperatures. However, Hazel restrengthened as it tracked northward over the Gulf Stream.[7] The Hurricane Hunters were unable to observe the core of the storm until it neared land, reporting an eye 18 mi (29 km) in diameter on October 15. Later that day, a ship just off South Carolina reported a central pressure of 938 mbar (27.7 inHg), which was the lowest in association with the hurricane. At 15:30 UTC on October 15, Hazel made landfall just west of the North Carolina/South Carolina border with a 40 mi (64 km) eye, slightly northeast of Myrtle Beach in the latter state. Based on the pressure, a larger than average size, and the fast forward movement, the landfall intensity was estimated at 130 mph (210 km/h), or a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.[3]

The eye of Hazel was tracked across several towns in North Carolina as the system continued northward. At 18:00 UTC on October 15, the hurricane became extratropical near Raleigh, and within six hours had passed near Washington, D.C. Its extratropical remnants accelerated to the north through Pennsylvania and New York along an extended cold front. Despite widespread observations across the eastern United States, there continues to be uncertainty in the track of Hazel as an extratropical storm. The Canadian weather service maintains that the original circulation dissipated over western Pennsylvania and a new one formed over western New York.[6] In contrast, the U.S. Hurricane Research Division later assessed the circulation as becoming elongated but continuous. On October 16, the storm crossed into Ontario and over the Toronto region.[3] Shortly thereafter, the former Hurricane Hazel dropped to gale-force winds after moving almost 1,000 km (620 mi) over land.[3][6] The storm slowed and turned northward, passing over James Bay early on October 17. After turning to the northeast, into what is today known as the Kativik region of extreme northern Quebec, the remnants of Hazel were absorbed by a larger extratropical storm over Canada on October 18.[6]

Preparations edit

On October 6, small craft warnings were issued for the Dutch islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, despite predictions that Hazel would pass to the north;[8] these warnings were canceled a day later.[9] After the storm had turned northward, tropical cyclone warnings were posted for Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the waters of the Mona Passage.[10] Small craft near Jamaica were advised to head for port ahead of the storm.[11] The U.S. Navy completed extensive preparations at its Guantanamo Bay base, ordering about 1,000 civilians into hardened, fortified Quonset huts, flying aircraft out of the storm's path, and positioning surface ships out at sea.[12]

Then, on October 14, the United States Weather Bureau issued a warning for the Carolinas, with the caveat that the worst of the hurricane was expected to stay offshore. Instead, the storm took a sharp northwest turn and headed toward land.[13] By evening of the same day, the storm was forecast to make landfall near the Carolinas border.[13] Further forecasts expected Hazel to lose its power and dissipate over the Allegheny Mountains.[6]

In her book Hurricane Hazel, Canadian journalist Betty Kennedy argued that in Canada, the impressions that Hazel was "the best-kept secret in town" and that it was a "fully documented meteorological event that should have taken nobody by surprise" both "paradoxically [...] contain a great deal of truth".[14] Meteorologists predicted that if Hazel merged with the cold front, the storm would not lose intensity, but would instead potentially strengthen. Two Special Weather Bulletins were issued by the Dominion Weather Office, but since it was expected that the storm would pass east of Toronto, few other warnings were given and there were no evacuations, which increased the eventual property damage and loss of life.[6] The forecast called for high winds between 65 and 80 km/h (40 and 50 mph), with only occasional showers. On lakes Erie and Ontario, ships received warnings of strong winds, and the predicted wind speeds ranged from 65 to 120 km/h (40 to 75 mph).[6] Toronto Hydro had called in standby crews as heavy winds were forecast, although they were almost sent home at one point due to a lull in the storm.[15]

There had been significant rainfall in the Toronto area in the two weeks prior to Hazel, so the ground was already saturated. Few people in Canada had any experience with hurricanes, since it was unheard of for them to travel as far north and inland as Toronto.[16] Kennedy also notes that if "Toronto had been about to face a blizzard, or was threatened by a 14-inch [36-cm] snowfall, that [sic] would have been something understandable. [...] This was different. This was the unknown, the unfamiliar, the totally unexpected crisis. Hurricanes belonged in the tropics."[17]

Impact edit

Deaths and damage by region
Region Deaths Damage Sources
ABC islands 0 $350,000
Grenada 0 $80,000 [18]
Haiti 400–1,000 $500,000 [19]
Puerto Rico 9
Cuba 1
Bahamas 6
United States 95 $281 million [20]
Canada 81 $100 million [21]
Total 592–1,192 $382 million

Caribbean edit

On October 8, two crew members on reconnaissance aircraft were injured due to turbulence while observing Hazel; one was severely enough injured to require hospitalisation.[22] The ABC Islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, located north of Venezuela, received rough winds and rains of up to 9.8 inches (250 mm) when the intensifying cyclone passed to the north. Flash flooding in Aruba and Curaçao destroyed a bridge and several water dams and resulted in losses of $350,000 (1954 USD).[23] Puerto Rico suffered its worst flooding since 1899 as a result of the hurricane. Due to timely warnings, only nine people were killed (eight by drowning and one by a landslide), but infrastructure, buildings, and agricultural areas suffered serious damage, and over 11,000 people were evacuated from flooded areas.[24]

In Haiti, Hazel brought flash floods which destroyed numerous villages, and high winds which caused considerable damage to major cities. The death toll was estimated to be as high as 1,000 people; most of the casualties drowned when the water flowed in a flood down the mountains, some of which were as high as 2,400 m (8,000 ft). The situation was exacerbated by deforestation, which lessened the ability of the soil to hold water. Haiti's South Peninsula took the brunt of the storm: the largest town, Aux Cayes, reported at least 200 casualties, while the second-largest town of Jérémie was reported to have been washed in the sea, with at least 200 more casualties.[25] Damage in Aux Cayes was estimated to be $500,000 (1954 USD).[26] Estimates of people left homeless in the wake of Hazel are as high as 100,000.[19] Hazel destroyed about 40 percent of the coffee trees and 50 percent of the cacao crop, affecting the country's economy for several years.[27][28] Objects from Haiti, such as bowls, were reported to have been transported by the hurricane to the Carolinian coast.[29]

West of Haiti, the hurricane brought hurricane-force winds to Cuba.[3] A fisherman on the eastern tip of Cuba was killed by rough seas while trying to secure his boats.[12] Since the hurricane passed largely east of the Bahamas, only minor damage was reported there. Hazel passed directly over Inagua, where it claimed six lives when a sailboat capsized while taking shelter from the storm.[22]

United States edit

In South Carolina, the storm produced 10–11 ft (3.0–3.4 m) tides along the coast.[30] Hundreds of buildings were destroyed, including about 80 percent of waterfront dwellings in Myrtle Beach. As a result of the high storm surge, the low-lying sandy barrier islands were completely flooded.[31] Two piers in Myrtle Beach were damaged. In North Myrtle Beach, a three-story hotel and an 800 ft (240 m) pier were washed out to sea. At Cherry Grove Beach, 75 residences were demolished, while at Pawleys Island, 40 homes were destroyed, while numerous others were damaged. One death occurred in South Carolina. Damage in the state totaled about $27 million.[30]

At landfall, the hurricane brought a storm surge of over 5.5 m (18 ft) to a large area of coastline, producing severe coastal damage; the damage was greater since the hurricane coincided with the highest lunar tide of the year.[32] Brunswick County, North Carolina, suffered the heaviest damage, where most coastal dwellings were either destroyed or severely damaged. For example, in Long Beach, North Carolina, only five of the 357 buildings were left standing.[29] The official report from the Weather Bureau in Raleigh, North Carolina stated that as a result of Hazel, "all traces of civilization on the immediate waterfront between the state line and Cape Fear were practically annihilated."[33] According to NOAA, "every pier in a distance of 170 miles [270 kilometres] of coastline was demolished".[22]

At the Raleigh-Durham Airport in North Carolina, gusts of 90 mph (140 km/h) were recorded; in surrounding cities, including Kinston, Goldsboro, and Faison, wind gusts were estimated to have reached 120 mph (190 km/h).[34] With such high winds state-wide, heavy damage was caused to forests, and to property as a result of falling trees. However, since the Carolinas, like the rest of the Southeastern United States, were suffering from a severe drought, the heavy rainfall brought by Hazel was welcome. In North Carolina, the most rain was received in the interior of the state: Robbins received 286 mm (11.3 in) of rain, and Carthage received 247 mm (9.7 in).[33]

Nineteen people were killed in North Carolina, with several hundred more injured; 15,000 homes were destroyed and another 39,000 were damaged.[32] The number of people left homeless by the storm was "uncounted thousands".[35] Damages in the Carolinas amounted to $163 million, with $61 million incurred by beachfront property.[4][36] Total damage in the United States ranged from $281 million to $308 million.[20][36]

While Hazel caused the most damage in the Carolinas, the storm did not lose all of its intensity. Going north, Hazel turned extratropical by midday when it merged with a cold front; however, it retained hurricane-strength winds and it continued to drop heavy rainfall.[22][37]

In Virginia, wind gusts of over 100 mph (160 km/h) were observed at the Weather Bureau office in Norfolk. Roofs were blown off, trees and power lines were toppled, windows were shattered, and awnings were torn. The naval station suffered mainly minor damage to its temporary installations.[38] The tugboat Indian, carrying five barges, sank in the James River; four of the eight crew members drowned.[39] One building was demolished and several others were damaged in Portsmouth.[38] The ferry Princess Anne was beached into the docks at Kiptopeke.[39] An unfinished vessel at the Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News broke from its moorings and was swept into the shore of the James River. The roof of the customs house was detached and landed on the street.[38] In Richmond, 200 store fronts were damaged, while part of the steeple at Trinity Methodist Church was toppled. Additionally, a 150 ft (46 m) microwave tower in Warsaw was knocked over.[39] Approximately 50 percent of residents in Virginia lost telephone and electrical service for six days. The storm damaged approximately 18,000 homes and businesses. Overall, there were 12 deaths and about $15 million in damage.[39]

After North Carolina, the storm went through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. In general, power was knocked out and trees were downed. Wind gusts throughout the area reached 160 km/h (99 mph).[22][37] Effects of the storm was able to break the incomplete battleship USS Kentucky from its moorings when she was based in Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as a parts ship, resulting in her running aground.[citation needed]

Though not near the center, a gust of 182 km/h (113 mph) was recorded in Battery Park, the highest wind speed ever recorded within the municipal boundaries of New York City.[40]

Rain amounts were heavier on the western side of the storm. In West Virginia, the average amount of rain received was 230 mm (9 in) with localized amounts of 300 mm (12 in) reported in the Appalachians. To the north in Pittsburgh, only 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain was reported.[41]

To the east, the Washington, D.C. area was particularly affected, and considerable flooding was reported in the Virginias and Maryland. Much of the grounds of the Naval Academy in Annapolis were flooded, putting midshipmen to work the next day to clean up the debris. New Jersey escaped major flooding as the high tide was low enough, but to the south in Chesapeake Bay, the majority of crab pots were destroyed.[42] Hazel lost a considerable amount of moisture when crossing the Allegheny Mountains, which raised rivers and streams in the Pittsburgh area significantly above the flood mark. In Pennsylvania, the winds were still high enough to unroof several homes.[37]

In upstate New York, the storm blocked highways and railroads.[37] The 491-foot (150 m) tower of television station WTVE in Elmira was toppled by wind gusts; the station was off the air for 19 months.[43][44]

Canada edit

Deadliest Canada hurricanes
Rank Hurricane Season Fatalities
1 "Newfoundland (1)" 1775 4,000–4,163†
2 "Nova Scotia (1)" 1873 600†
3 "Nova Scotia (3)" 1927 173–192†
4 "Labrador" 1882 140
5 Hazel 1954 81
6 "Newfoundland (2)" 1883 80
7 "Nova Scotia (2)" 1926 55–58†
8 "Galveston" 1900 52–232†
9 "Newfoundland (3)" 1935 50†
10 "Saxby Gale" 1869 37+
† – Estimated total
Source: NOAA[45]
 
The Lawrence Avenue bridge was washed out by the Humber River; part of it remained attached to the shore, while the rest was swept away.

After weeks of unusually high rainfall saturated the Greater Toronto Area, Hazel dropped additional rainfall, peaking at 8.4 in (214 mm) in Snelgrove, Ontario. In three hours, the city received 3.5 in (90 mm) of precipitation. Most of these rains ran off into rivers and creeks of Toronto, which raised water levels by as much as 20–26 ft (6–8 m).[6][16] Not built to withstand heavy flooding, Toronto's infrastructure took a heavy hit: over 50 bridges, many parts of important highways, as well as numerous roads and railways were destroyed when the high water washed them out or carried debris and smashed them.[46][47]

Floodwaters slowly rose in Holland Marsh – a bowl-shaped valley near Bradford – allowing people to escape to the town.[48] Highway 400, which passes through the marsh, was under as much as 10 ft (3 m) of water in some places when as much 6 m (20 ft) of water backed up. Much of the crops in the area were either swept away or ruined.[49] After the water pumps failed due to debris, better equipment allowed the Holland Marsh to be drained by November 13.[50] The Humber River in the west end of Toronto caused the most destruction as a result of an intense flash flood after most minor rivers and creeks drained into it.[51] A team of five volunteer firefighters were killed when their fire truck was swept away as they were responding to help a stranded motorist.[52] Communities in the Humber floodplain were devastated. In Woodbridge, the river swelled from its usual width of 20 m (66 ft) at its narrowest point to 107 m (351 ft), and left hundreds homeless and nine dead.[53] The Humber swept away 366 m (1,201 ft) of Raymore Drive and 14 nearby homes, killing 35 people out of the 81 Canadian fatalities. The rise of the river was unprecedented and the residents did not evacuate, which led to the high death toll.[51] The Etobicoke Creek also overflowed its banks at the village of Long Branch, killing seven people after many dwellings were swept into Lake Ontario.[54]

The death toll of 81 people has not since been equaled by a natural disaster in Canada. In addition to the casualties, over 4,000 families were left homeless.[55] The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada estimates the total cost of Hurricane Hazel for Canada, taking into account long-term effects such as economic disruption, the cost of lost property, and recovery costs, to be C$1.03 billion.[56]

Aftermath edit

Haiti edit

In the aftermath of Hazel, a three-day period of national mourning was declared in Haiti for hurricane victims. With existing infrastructure already poor, the recovery was very slow since many of the few existing roads were blocked, and communications equipment was either out, damaged, or destroyed. The Haitian Red Cross appealed for assistance to the International Red Cross, while the American Red Cross made a donation of $25,000 (1954 USD). Pan American World Airways offered the use of its planes to assist with the delivery of aid,[57] and the US aircraft carrier USS Saipan deployed 18 helicopters to help deliver supplies.[58] Despite the relief effort, there was an outbreak of typhoid fever following Hazel due to a lack of clean water.[59]

United States edit

In the Carolinas, the National Guard was mobilized by the evening of October 15 to prevent looting along affected areas of the coastline. On October 17, President Dwight D. Eisenhower declared a "major disaster" in the Carolinas, and offered "immediate and unlimited federal assistance."[60] Recovery was quick, and by October 24, all but two units were demobilized. Another concern was the rebuilding of the sand dunes along waterfronts. An artificial sand dune barrier, 39 km (24 mi) long, was completed by October 30, which in the long run led to a more rapid natural build-up of larger dunes. With Myrtle Beach a popular tourist destination, the Chamber of Commerce began an information campaign to inform the public, which might have erroneously concluded from the massive media coverage that the city had been destroyed, that the city would be ready for the coming summer. The rebuilding after the partial destruction would transform Myrtle Beach from a "quaint summer colony to a high-rise resort city".[61]

Canada edit

 
A weir was built on the Humber River near Raymore Drive to lessen the risk of a similar catastrophic flood.

The army sent about 800 soldiers to Toronto to assist with the cleanup, providing blankets and mattresses. Toronto residents helped out with the relief effort: the Salvation Army received so many donations of clothes, footwear, blankets, food, and money that its storage facilities were overfilled, forcing it to advise against further donations until they were needed.[62] A Hurricane Relief Fund was established to coordinate financial donations, ultimately raising about $5.3 million (CAD). The fund received donations from organisations, companies, and individuals including Pope Pius XII, the Ford Motor Company of Canada, the United Church of Canada, Laura Secord Candy Shops, and the British-American Oil Company. A portion of the fund was set aside as a contingency reserve in the event of unresolved claims and also toward administrative expenses.[62]

The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority was created after the storm to manage the area's floodplains and rivers, such as building dams.[63] The heavily flooded areas were expropriated and barred from having homes, and most of the land was later converted into an extensive park system along Toronto's rivers. A footbridge dedicated to the victims crosses the Humber River in Raymore Park, which was the former Raymore Drive.[64]

Retirement edit

As a result of the high death toll and catastrophic damage in the Caribbean, United States and Canada, the name Hazel was removed from the tropical storm naming list for 10 years, and then retired permanently in the spring of 1969, as the hurricane was still an active subject of research. It will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane.[65][66]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Plane to check easterly wave". The Kingston Daily Freeman. Kingston, New York. Associated Press. October 5, 1954. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  2. ^ "New hurricane poses threat to Puerto Rico". Pottstown Mercury. Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. October 5, 1954. from the original on October 5, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Chris Landsea; et al. (May 2015). (Report). Hurricane Research Division. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Walter R. Davis (1955). "Hurricanes of 1954" (PDF). Weather Bureau Office. (PDF) from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  5. ^ . Raleigh, North Carolina National Weather Service. Archived from the original on December 1, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Peter Bowyer (2004). "Storm information". Canadian Hurricane Centre. from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  7. ^ Willie Drye (October 14, 2004). . National Geographic. Archived from the original on May 7, 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
  8. ^ Milt Sosin (October 6, 1954). "Hurricane Hazel Gaining Force in Caribbean". The Miami News. p. 1. from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ Milt Sosin (October 7, 1954). "Hurricane Hazel's Path Undetermined". The Miami News. p. 1. from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ "Warnings Hoisted Over Haiti For Hurricane Hazel". Corsicana Daily Sun. Associated Press. October 11, 1954. p. 1. from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved September 22, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  11. ^ United Press International (October 10, 1954). "Hurricane Hazel New Threat in Caribbean". Medford Mail Tribute. from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved September 22, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  12. ^ a b "Hurricane Hazel Sweeps Up Coast; Cuba Is Alerted". Pittston Gazette. October 12, 1954. from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved September 22, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  13. ^ a b Stokes, p. 169
  14. ^ Kennedy, p. 36
  15. ^ Peter Bowyer (2004). "Timeline of storm events". Canadian Hurricane Centre. from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  16. ^ a b Filey, p. 192
  17. ^ Kennedy, p. 44
  18. ^ Report on Grenada at Google Books
  19. ^ a b Bob Burtt (October 26, 2004). "Hazel's Lessons Learned". The Record. p. B.1. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
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  23. ^ (PDF). Meteorological Service Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. 2010. pp. 18, 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  24. ^ Ralph L. Higgs (October 1954). "Severe floods of October 12–15, 1954 in Puerto Rico" (PDF). NOAA. (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  25. ^ Milt Sosin (October 13, 1954). "Speed Regained, AF Base Periled". The Miami News. p. 1. from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018 – via Newspaper.com.  
  26. ^ "Hurricane Hazel Kills 200". Beaver Valley Times. UPI. October 13, 1954. p. 1. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  27. ^ Rotberg and Clague, p. 182
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  30. ^ a b "South Carolina Impacts from Hurricane Hazel". National Weather Service Office Wilmington, North Carolina. Wilmington, North Carolina: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. October 15, 2014. from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  31. ^ Hairr, p. 134
  32. ^ a b . Coastal Service Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on February 11, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  33. ^ a b Hairr, p. 135
  34. ^ (PDF). National Weather Service Raleigh, North Carolina. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 26, 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
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  37. ^ a b c d "Floods Rise in Hazel's Wake". The Miami News. Associated Press. October 16, 1954. p. 1. from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  38. ^ a b c Joseph J. Ryan (October 16, 1954). "Norfolk Hard Hit by Edge of Storm". The New York Times. Norfolk, Virginia. p. 11. from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  39. ^ a b c d "Virginia Impacts from Hurricane Hazel". National Weather Service Office Wilmington, North Carolina. Wilmington, North Carolina: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. October 15, 2014. from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  40. ^ 5 October hurricanes that wreaked havoc on the U.S., Spectrum News 1, October 1, 2020
  41. ^ . NOAA. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  42. ^ Hairr, p. 136
  43. ^ "Elmira Recovers From Hurricane: Trees, Power Lines Felled; 491-Ft. TV Tower Toppled". Star-Gazette. Elmira, New York. October 16, 1954. p. 1, 12. from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  44. ^ "Return to air of uhf WTVE..." (PDF). Television Digest. May 5, 1956. p. 8. (PDF) from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2022 – via world Radio History.
  45. ^ Rappaport, Edward N; Fernandez-Partagas, Jose (January 1995). The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492 – 1994 (PDF) (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS NHC-47). United States National Hurricane Center. p. 23. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 13, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  46. ^ Peter Bowyer (2004). "Impacts – Transportation". Canadian Hurricane Centre. from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  47. ^ Peter Bowyer (2004). "Impacts". Canadian Hurricane Centre. from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  48. ^ Kennedy, p. 101
  49. ^ Kennedy, p. 103
  50. ^ Kennedy, p. 105
  51. ^ a b Peter Bowyer (2004). "Impacts – Humber River". Canadian Hurricane Centre. from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  52. ^ Filey, p. 193
  53. ^ . Hurricane Hazel. Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
  54. ^ Peter Bowyer (2004). "Impacts – Long Branch". Canadian Hurricane Centre. from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  55. ^ Gifford, p. 13
  56. ^ Peter Bowyer (2004). "Recovery – Evaluation". Canadian Hurricane Centre. from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  57. ^ Jack W. Roberts (October 14, 1954). "Hazel Points at the US Coast". The Miami News. p. 1. from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  58. ^ "Big Scale Relief Is Pushed In Hurricane-Battered Haiti". The Miami News. Associated Press. October 15, 1954. p. 22. from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  59. ^ Kennedy, p. 31
  60. ^ . Time. October 25, 1954. Archived from the original on November 16, 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  61. ^ Stokes, pp. 178–179
  62. ^ a b Peter Bowyer (2004). "Recovery – Aftermath". Canadian Hurricane Centre. from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  63. ^ Peter Bowyer (2004). "Mitigation". Canadian Hurricane Centre. from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  64. ^ Gifford, p. 99
  65. ^ "Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  66. ^ Report of the 1969 Interdepartmental Hurricane Warning Conference (Combined - Atlantic and Pacific) (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. March 1969. p. 17. Retrieved February 17, 2024.

Sources edit

  • Cullingworth, J.B. (1987). Urban and regional planning in Canada. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. ISBN 0-88738-135-9.
  • Filey, Mike (2003). Toronto Sketches 7. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN 1-55002-526-0.
  • Gifford, Jim (2004). Hurricane Hazel: Canada's Storm of the Century. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN 1-55002-448-5.
  • Hairr, John (2008). The Great Hurricanes of North Carolina. Stroud, United Kingdom: The History Press. ISBN 978-1-59629-391-5.
  • Kennedy, Betty (1979). Hurricane Hazel. Toronto: Macmillan of Canada. ISBN 0-7705-1821-4.
  • Rotberg, Robert I. & Clague, Christopher K. (1971). Haiti: the politics of squalor. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-12105-1.
  • Stokes, Barbara (2007). Myrtle Beach: a history, 1900–1980. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-57003-697-2.

External links edit

  • CBC Digital Archives — The Wrath of Hurricane Hazel
  • – Archival photographs of Hurricane Hazel from the Toronto Telegram fonds.

hurricane, hazel, this, article, about, atlantic, hurricane, 1954, other, storms, with, same, name, list, storms, named, hazel, canadian, politician, nicknamed, hazel, mccallion, deadliest, second, costliest, most, intense, hurricane, 1954, atlantic, hurricane. This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 1954 For other storms with the same name see List of storms named Hazel For the Canadian politician nicknamed Hurricane Hazel see Hazel McCallion Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest second costliest and most intense hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season The storm killed at least 469 people in Haiti before it struck the United States near the border between North and South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane After causing 95 fatalities in the US Hazel struck Canada as an extratropical storm which raised the death toll by 81 people mostly in Toronto As a result of the high death toll and the damage caused by Hazel its name was retired from use for North Atlantic hurricanes Hurricane Hazel Surface weather map of Hazel near landfall in North Carolina on October 15Meteorological historyFormedOctober 5 1954 October 5 1954 ExtratropicalOctober 15 1954DissipatedOctober 18 1954 October 18 1954 Category 4 hurricane1 minute sustained SSHWS NWS Highest winds130 mph 215 km h Lowest pressure938 mbar hPa 27 70 inHgOverall effectsFatalities591 1 191Damage 382 million 1954 USD Areas affectedTrinidad and Tobago Lesser Antilles Northern South America Puerto Rico Leeward Antilles Jamaica Hispaniola Cuba Lucayan Archipelago East Coast of the United States OntarioIBTrACSPart of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane seasonIn Haiti Hazel destroyed 40 percent of the coffee trees and 50 percent of the cacao crop which affected the economy for several years The hurricane made landfall near Calabash North Carolina and destroyed most waterfront dwellings It then traveled north along the Atlantic coast Hazel affected Virginia Washington D C West Virginia Maryland Delaware New Jersey Pennsylvania and New York It brought gusts near 160 km h 100 mph and caused 281 million 1954 USD in damage When it was over Pennsylvania Hazel consolidated with a cold front and turned northwest towards Canada When it hit Ontario as an extratropical storm rivers and streams in and around Toronto overflowed their banks which caused severe flooding As a result many residential areas in the local floodplains such as the Raymore Drive area were subsequently converted to parkland In Canada alone over C 135 million 2021 C 1 4 billion of damage was incurred The effects of Hazel were particularly unprecedented in Toronto because of a combination of heavy rainfall during the preceding weeks a lack of experience in dealing with hurricanes and the storm s unexpected retention of power despite traveling 1 100 km 680 mi over land The storm stalled over the Toronto area and although it was now extratropical it remained as powerful as a category 1 hurricane To help with the cleanup 800 members of the military were summoned and a Hurricane Relief Fund was established that distributed 5 1 million 2023 57 9 million in aid Contents 1 Meteorological history 2 Preparations 3 Impact 3 1 Caribbean 3 2 United States 3 3 Canada 4 Aftermath 4 1 Haiti 4 2 United States 4 3 Canada 4 4 Retirement 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Sources 7 External linksMeteorological history edit nbsp Map plotting the storm s track and intensity according to the Saffir Simpson scaleMap keySaffir Simpson scale Tropical depression 38 mph 62 km h Tropical storm 39 73 mph 63 118 km h Category 1 74 95 mph 119 153 km h Category 2 96 110 mph 154 177 km h Category 3 111 129 mph 178 208 km h Category 4 130 156 mph 209 251 km h Category 5 157 mph 252 km h Unknown Storm type nbsp Tropical cyclone nbsp Subtropical cyclone nbsp Extratropical cyclone remnant low tropical disturbance or monsoon depressionOn October 5 a tropical wave with tropical storm force winds was approaching the Lesser Antilles Due to the potential for tropical storm formation a Hurricane Hunters plane flew from San Juan Puerto Rico to investigate the system 1 When the plane reached the system they observed a tropical cyclone about 30 mi 48 km east of the island of Grenada with winds estimated at 100 mph 160 km h The United States Weather Bureau promptly classified the system as Hurricane Hazel 2 The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis later assessed that Hazel developed at 06 00 UTC on October 5 about 220 mi 350 km east of Grenada Although the Hurricane Hunters observed hurricane force winds the storm had a small eye 5 mi 8 0 km in diameter and a central barometric pressure of 1 002 mbar 29 6 inHg The 100 mph 160 km h winds were therefore revised downward to 65 mph 105 km h late on October 5 though it was estimated that the storm attained hurricane status at 00 00 UTC on October 6 At the same time Hazel made landfall on Grenada with winds of 75 mph 121 km h 3 After entering the Caribbean Sea Hazel continued to present a small eye and wind diameter The winds gradually increased as the storm moved westward parallel to the northern coast of Venezuela On October 8 the tiny eye increased to a diameter of 29 mi 47 km while the winds reached 85 mph 137 km h 3 although winds were estimated as high as 125 mph 201 km h That day the Hurricane Hunters encountered severe turbulence which hospitalized one crew member and injured another 4 For the next five days there were no further flights into the core of the hurricane However the planes continued to monitor the storm with radar imagery indicating that the eye became open and ragged Late on October 9 it is estimated Hazel intensified into a major hurricane with winds of 115 mph 185 km h Originally it was estimated that Hazel attained these winds the day prior The intensification was confirmed on October 10 when aircraft noted a well defined eye on radar imagery 3 On October 10 Hazel slowed in the central Caribbean and turned sharply to the north northeast toward Hispaniola 3 steered by an upper level low 5 At 09 00 UTC on October 12 the hurricane made landfall near Chardonnieres along the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti as a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir Simpson hurricane wind scale There were no strong wind readings at landfall but based on previous radar and aircraft observations the sustained winds were officially estimated at 120 mph 190 km h After moving through the Gulf of Gonave Hazel struck northwestern Haiti near Baie de Henne at 00 00 UTC on October 13 as a Category 2 hurricane with winds estimated at 100 mph 160 km h 3 Around that time the hurricane curved more to the north and northwest due to an approaching trough 6 and the Hurricane Hunters resumed entering the center of Hazel reporting an eye and hurricane force winds At 14 00 UTC on October 13 Hazel struck Inagua in the Bahamas with winds of 100 mph 160 km h 3 nbsp The Weston Golf Club in Toronto was left submerged after the Humber River overflowed its banks After affecting the Bahamas Hazel accelerated northwest toward the southeastern United States 3 steered between a trough and a ridge 6 Hurricanes are generally expected to lose power after going north of Florida due to lower water temperatures However Hazel restrengthened as it tracked northward over the Gulf Stream 7 The Hurricane Hunters were unable to observe the core of the storm until it neared land reporting an eye 18 mi 29 km in diameter on October 15 Later that day a ship just off South Carolina reported a central pressure of 938 mbar 27 7 inHg which was the lowest in association with the hurricane At 15 30 UTC on October 15 Hazel made landfall just west of the North Carolina South Carolina border with a 40 mi 64 km eye slightly northeast of Myrtle Beach in the latter state Based on the pressure a larger than average size and the fast forward movement the landfall intensity was estimated at 130 mph 210 km h or a Category 4 on the Saffir Simpson scale 3 The eye of Hazel was tracked across several towns in North Carolina as the system continued northward At 18 00 UTC on October 15 the hurricane became extratropical near Raleigh and within six hours had passed near Washington D C Its extratropical remnants accelerated to the north through Pennsylvania and New York along an extended cold front Despite widespread observations across the eastern United States there continues to be uncertainty in the track of Hazel as an extratropical storm The Canadian weather service maintains that the original circulation dissipated over western Pennsylvania and a new one formed over western New York 6 In contrast the U S Hurricane Research Division later assessed the circulation as becoming elongated but continuous On October 16 the storm crossed into Ontario and over the Toronto region 3 Shortly thereafter the former Hurricane Hazel dropped to gale force winds after moving almost 1 000 km 620 mi over land 3 6 The storm slowed and turned northward passing over James Bay early on October 17 After turning to the northeast into what is today known as the Kativik region of extreme northern Quebec the remnants of Hazel were absorbed by a larger extratropical storm over Canada on October 18 6 Preparations editOn October 6 small craft warnings were issued for the Dutch islands of Aruba Bonaire and Curacao despite predictions that Hazel would pass to the north 8 these warnings were canceled a day later 9 After the storm had turned northward tropical cyclone warnings were posted for Haiti the Dominican Republic and the waters of the Mona Passage 10 Small craft near Jamaica were advised to head for port ahead of the storm 11 The U S Navy completed extensive preparations at its Guantanamo Bay base ordering about 1 000 civilians into hardened fortified Quonset huts flying aircraft out of the storm s path and positioning surface ships out at sea 12 Then on October 14 the United States Weather Bureau issued a warning for the Carolinas with the caveat that the worst of the hurricane was expected to stay offshore Instead the storm took a sharp northwest turn and headed toward land 13 By evening of the same day the storm was forecast to make landfall near the Carolinas border 13 Further forecasts expected Hazel to lose its power and dissipate over the Allegheny Mountains 6 In her book Hurricane Hazel Canadian journalist Betty Kennedy argued that in Canada the impressions that Hazel was the best kept secret in town and that it was a fully documented meteorological event that should have taken nobody by surprise both paradoxically contain a great deal of truth 14 Meteorologists predicted that if Hazel merged with the cold front the storm would not lose intensity but would instead potentially strengthen Two Special Weather Bulletins were issued by the Dominion Weather Office but since it was expected that the storm would pass east of Toronto few other warnings were given and there were no evacuations which increased the eventual property damage and loss of life 6 The forecast called for high winds between 65 and 80 km h 40 and 50 mph with only occasional showers On lakes Erie and Ontario ships received warnings of strong winds and the predicted wind speeds ranged from 65 to 120 km h 40 to 75 mph 6 Toronto Hydro had called in standby crews as heavy winds were forecast although they were almost sent home at one point due to a lull in the storm 15 There had been significant rainfall in the Toronto area in the two weeks prior to Hazel so the ground was already saturated Few people in Canada had any experience with hurricanes since it was unheard of for them to travel as far north and inland as Toronto 16 Kennedy also notes that if Toronto had been about to face a blizzard or was threatened by a 14 inch 36 cm snowfall that sic would have been something understandable This was different This was the unknown the unfamiliar the totally unexpected crisis Hurricanes belonged in the tropics 17 Impact editDeaths and damage by region Region Deaths Damage SourcesABC islands 0 350 000Grenada 0 80 000 18 Haiti 400 1 000 500 000 19 Puerto Rico 9 Cuba 1 Bahamas 6 United States 95 281 million 20 Canada 81 100 million 21 Total 592 1 192 382 millionCaribbean edit On October 8 two crew members on reconnaissance aircraft were injured due to turbulence while observing Hazel one was severely enough injured to require hospitalisation 22 The ABC Islands of Aruba Bonaire and Curacao located north of Venezuela received rough winds and rains of up to 9 8 inches 250 mm when the intensifying cyclone passed to the north Flash flooding in Aruba and Curacao destroyed a bridge and several water dams and resulted in losses of 350 000 1954 USD 23 Puerto Rico suffered its worst flooding since 1899 as a result of the hurricane Due to timely warnings only nine people were killed eight by drowning and one by a landslide but infrastructure buildings and agricultural areas suffered serious damage and over 11 000 people were evacuated from flooded areas 24 In Haiti Hazel brought flash floods which destroyed numerous villages and high winds which caused considerable damage to major cities The death toll was estimated to be as high as 1 000 people most of the casualties drowned when the water flowed in a flood down the mountains some of which were as high as 2 400 m 8 000 ft The situation was exacerbated by deforestation which lessened the ability of the soil to hold water Haiti s South Peninsula took the brunt of the storm the largest town Aux Cayes reported at least 200 casualties while the second largest town of Jeremie was reported to have been washed in the sea with at least 200 more casualties 25 Damage in Aux Cayes was estimated to be 500 000 1954 USD 26 Estimates of people left homeless in the wake of Hazel are as high as 100 000 19 Hazel destroyed about 40 percent of the coffee trees and 50 percent of the cacao crop affecting the country s economy for several years 27 28 Objects from Haiti such as bowls were reported to have been transported by the hurricane to the Carolinian coast 29 West of Haiti the hurricane brought hurricane force winds to Cuba 3 A fisherman on the eastern tip of Cuba was killed by rough seas while trying to secure his boats 12 Since the hurricane passed largely east of the Bahamas only minor damage was reported there Hazel passed directly over Inagua where it claimed six lives when a sailboat capsized while taking shelter from the storm 22 United States edit In South Carolina the storm produced 10 11 ft 3 0 3 4 m tides along the coast 30 Hundreds of buildings were destroyed including about 80 percent of waterfront dwellings in Myrtle Beach As a result of the high storm surge the low lying sandy barrier islands were completely flooded 31 Two piers in Myrtle Beach were damaged In North Myrtle Beach a three story hotel and an 800 ft 240 m pier were washed out to sea At Cherry Grove Beach 75 residences were demolished while at Pawleys Island 40 homes were destroyed while numerous others were damaged One death occurred in South Carolina Damage in the state totaled about 27 million 30 At landfall the hurricane brought a storm surge of over 5 5 m 18 ft to a large area of coastline producing severe coastal damage the damage was greater since the hurricane coincided with the highest lunar tide of the year 32 Brunswick County North Carolina suffered the heaviest damage where most coastal dwellings were either destroyed or severely damaged For example in Long Beach North Carolina only five of the 357 buildings were left standing 29 The official report from the Weather Bureau in Raleigh North Carolina stated that as a result of Hazel all traces of civilization on the immediate waterfront between the state line and Cape Fear were practically annihilated 33 According to NOAA every pier in a distance of 170 miles 270 kilometres of coastline was demolished 22 At the Raleigh Durham Airport in North Carolina gusts of 90 mph 140 km h were recorded in surrounding cities including Kinston Goldsboro and Faison wind gusts were estimated to have reached 120 mph 190 km h 34 With such high winds state wide heavy damage was caused to forests and to property as a result of falling trees However since the Carolinas like the rest of the Southeastern United States were suffering from a severe drought the heavy rainfall brought by Hazel was welcome In North Carolina the most rain was received in the interior of the state Robbins received 286 mm 11 3 in of rain and Carthage received 247 mm 9 7 in 33 Nineteen people were killed in North Carolina with several hundred more injured 15 000 homes were destroyed and another 39 000 were damaged 32 The number of people left homeless by the storm was uncounted thousands 35 Damages in the Carolinas amounted to 163 million with 61 million incurred by beachfront property 4 36 Total damage in the United States ranged from 281 million to 308 million 20 36 While Hazel caused the most damage in the Carolinas the storm did not lose all of its intensity Going north Hazel turned extratropical by midday when it merged with a cold front however it retained hurricane strength winds and it continued to drop heavy rainfall 22 37 In Virginia wind gusts of over 100 mph 160 km h were observed at the Weather Bureau office in Norfolk Roofs were blown off trees and power lines were toppled windows were shattered and awnings were torn The naval station suffered mainly minor damage to its temporary installations 38 The tugboat Indian carrying five barges sank in the James River four of the eight crew members drowned 39 One building was demolished and several others were damaged in Portsmouth 38 The ferry Princess Anne was beached into the docks at Kiptopeke 39 An unfinished vessel at the Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News broke from its moorings and was swept into the shore of the James River The roof of the customs house was detached and landed on the street 38 In Richmond 200 store fronts were damaged while part of the steeple at Trinity Methodist Church was toppled Additionally a 150 ft 46 m microwave tower in Warsaw was knocked over 39 Approximately 50 percent of residents in Virginia lost telephone and electrical service for six days The storm damaged approximately 18 000 homes and businesses Overall there were 12 deaths and about 15 million in damage 39 After North Carolina the storm went through Virginia West Virginia Maryland Delaware New Jersey Pennsylvania and New York In general power was knocked out and trees were downed Wind gusts throughout the area reached 160 km h 99 mph 22 37 Effects of the storm was able to break the incomplete battleship USS Kentucky from its moorings when she was based in Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as a parts ship resulting in her running aground citation needed Though not near the center a gust of 182 km h 113 mph was recorded in Battery Park the highest wind speed ever recorded within the municipal boundaries of New York City 40 Rain amounts were heavier on the western side of the storm In West Virginia the average amount of rain received was 230 mm 9 in with localized amounts of 300 mm 12 in reported in the Appalachians To the north in Pittsburgh only 90 mm 3 5 in of rain was reported 41 To the east the Washington D C area was particularly affected and considerable flooding was reported in the Virginias and Maryland Much of the grounds of the Naval Academy in Annapolis were flooded putting midshipmen to work the next day to clean up the debris New Jersey escaped major flooding as the high tide was low enough but to the south in Chesapeake Bay the majority of crab pots were destroyed 42 Hazel lost a considerable amount of moisture when crossing the Allegheny Mountains which raised rivers and streams in the Pittsburgh area significantly above the flood mark In Pennsylvania the winds were still high enough to unroof several homes 37 In upstate New York the storm blocked highways and railroads 37 The 491 foot 150 m tower of television station WTVE in Elmira was toppled by wind gusts the station was off the air for 19 months 43 44 Canada edit Main article Effects of Hurricane Hazel in Canada Deadliest Canada hurricanes Rank Hurricane Season Fatalities1 Newfoundland 1 1775 4 000 4 163 2 Nova Scotia 1 1873 600 3 Nova Scotia 3 1927 173 192 4 Labrador 1882 1405 Hazel 1954 816 Newfoundland 2 1883 807 Nova Scotia 2 1926 55 58 8 Galveston 1900 52 232 9 Newfoundland 3 1935 50 10 Saxby Gale 1869 37 Estimated totalSource NOAA 45 nbsp The Lawrence Avenue bridge was washed out by the Humber River part of it remained attached to the shore while the rest was swept away After weeks of unusually high rainfall saturated the Greater Toronto Area Hazel dropped additional rainfall peaking at 8 4 in 214 mm in Snelgrove Ontario In three hours the city received 3 5 in 90 mm of precipitation Most of these rains ran off into rivers and creeks of Toronto which raised water levels by as much as 20 26 ft 6 8 m 6 16 Not built to withstand heavy flooding Toronto s infrastructure took a heavy hit over 50 bridges many parts of important highways as well as numerous roads and railways were destroyed when the high water washed them out or carried debris and smashed them 46 47 Floodwaters slowly rose in Holland Marsh a bowl shaped valley near Bradford allowing people to escape to the town 48 Highway 400 which passes through the marsh was under as much as 10 ft 3 m of water in some places when as much 6 m 20 ft of water backed up Much of the crops in the area were either swept away or ruined 49 After the water pumps failed due to debris better equipment allowed the Holland Marsh to be drained by November 13 50 The Humber River in the west end of Toronto caused the most destruction as a result of an intense flash flood after most minor rivers and creeks drained into it 51 A team of five volunteer firefighters were killed when their fire truck was swept away as they were responding to help a stranded motorist 52 Communities in the Humber floodplain were devastated In Woodbridge the river swelled from its usual width of 20 m 66 ft at its narrowest point to 107 m 351 ft and left hundreds homeless and nine dead 53 The Humber swept away 366 m 1 201 ft of Raymore Drive and 14 nearby homes killing 35 people out of the 81 Canadian fatalities The rise of the river was unprecedented and the residents did not evacuate which led to the high death toll 51 The Etobicoke Creek also overflowed its banks at the village of Long Branch killing seven people after many dwellings were swept into Lake Ontario 54 The death toll of 81 people has not since been equaled by a natural disaster in Canada In addition to the casualties over 4 000 families were left homeless 55 The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada estimates the total cost of Hurricane Hazel for Canada taking into account long term effects such as economic disruption the cost of lost property and recovery costs to be C 1 03 billion 56 Aftermath editHaiti edit In the aftermath of Hazel a three day period of national mourning was declared in Haiti for hurricane victims With existing infrastructure already poor the recovery was very slow since many of the few existing roads were blocked and communications equipment was either out damaged or destroyed The Haitian Red Cross appealed for assistance to the International Red Cross while the American Red Cross made a donation of 25 000 1954 USD Pan American World Airways offered the use of its planes to assist with the delivery of aid 57 and the US aircraft carrier USS Saipan deployed 18 helicopters to help deliver supplies 58 Despite the relief effort there was an outbreak of typhoid fever following Hazel due to a lack of clean water 59 United States edit In the Carolinas the National Guard was mobilized by the evening of October 15 to prevent looting along affected areas of the coastline On October 17 President Dwight D Eisenhower declared a major disaster in the Carolinas and offered immediate and unlimited federal assistance 60 Recovery was quick and by October 24 all but two units were demobilized Another concern was the rebuilding of the sand dunes along waterfronts An artificial sand dune barrier 39 km 24 mi long was completed by October 30 which in the long run led to a more rapid natural build up of larger dunes With Myrtle Beach a popular tourist destination the Chamber of Commerce began an information campaign to inform the public which might have erroneously concluded from the massive media coverage that the city had been destroyed that the city would be ready for the coming summer The rebuilding after the partial destruction would transform Myrtle Beach from a quaint summer colony to a high rise resort city 61 Canada edit Main article Effects of Hurricane Hazel in Canada nbsp A weir was built on the Humber River near Raymore Drive to lessen the risk of a similar catastrophic flood The army sent about 800 soldiers to Toronto to assist with the cleanup providing blankets and mattresses Toronto residents helped out with the relief effort the Salvation Army received so many donations of clothes footwear blankets food and money that its storage facilities were overfilled forcing it to advise against further donations until they were needed 62 A Hurricane Relief Fund was established to coordinate financial donations ultimately raising about 5 3 million CAD The fund received donations from organisations companies and individuals including Pope Pius XII the Ford Motor Company of Canada the United Church of Canada Laura Secord Candy Shops and the British American Oil Company A portion of the fund was set aside as a contingency reserve in the event of unresolved claims and also toward administrative expenses 62 The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority was created after the storm to manage the area s floodplains and rivers such as building dams 63 The heavily flooded areas were expropriated and barred from having homes and most of the land was later converted into an extensive park system along Toronto s rivers A footbridge dedicated to the victims crosses the Humber River in Raymore Park which was the former Raymore Drive 64 Retirement edit Main article List of retired Atlantic hurricane names As a result of the high death toll and catastrophic damage in the Caribbean United States and Canada the name Hazel was removed from the tropical storm naming list for 10 years and then retired permanently in the spring of 1969 as the hurricane was still an active subject of research It will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane 65 66 See also edit nbsp Tropical cyclones portalList of North Carolina hurricanes 1950 1979 List of Canadian hurricanes Hurricane Sandy a similar storm in 2012 with an unusual and complicated track due to baroclinic interactions Hurricane Matthew a storm which took a similar track in the Caribbean in 2016 Hurricane Fiona a strong Category 4 storm which impacted Atlantic CanadaReferences edit Plane to check easterly wave The Kingston Daily Freeman Kingston New York Associated Press October 5 1954 Retrieved September 21 2015 New hurricane poses threat to Puerto Rico Pottstown Mercury Pottstown Pennsylvania Associated Press October 5 1954 Archived from the original on 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October 16 1954 Norfolk Hard Hit by Edge of Storm The New York Times Norfolk Virginia p 11 Archived from the original on March 5 2016 Retrieved September 22 2015 a b c d Virginia Impacts from Hurricane Hazel National Weather Service Office Wilmington North Carolina Wilmington North Carolina National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration October 15 2014 Archived from the original on September 13 2015 Retrieved September 23 2015 5 October hurricanes that wreaked havoc on the U S Spectrum News 1 October 1 2020 Remnants of Hurricanes and Tropical Storms that have brought Rainfall to the Region NOAA Archived from the original on September 27 2011 Retrieved October 7 2011 Hairr p 136 Elmira Recovers From Hurricane Trees Power Lines Felled 491 Ft TV Tower Toppled Star Gazette Elmira New York October 16 1954 p 1 12 Archived from the original on August 6 2022 Retrieved August 6 2022 via Newspapers com Return to air of uhf WTVE PDF Television Digest May 5 1956 p 8 Archived PDF from the original on October 11 2021 Retrieved August 6 2022 via world Radio History Rappaport Edward N Fernandez Partagas Jose January 1995 The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones 1492 1994 PDF NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS NHC 47 United States National Hurricane Center p 23 Archived PDF from the original on January 13 2013 Retrieved May 24 2019 Peter Bowyer 2004 Impacts Transportation Canadian Hurricane Centre Archived from the original on July 10 2014 Retrieved June 17 2009 Peter Bowyer 2004 Impacts Canadian Hurricane Centre Archived from the original on July 10 2014 Retrieved June 17 2009 Kennedy p 101 Kennedy p 103 Kennedy p 105 a b Peter Bowyer 2004 Impacts Humber River Canadian Hurricane Centre Archived from the original on July 10 2014 Retrieved June 17 2009 Filey p 193 Hurricane Hazel 50 Years Later The Effects of Hazel on Toronto Area Communities Hurricane Hazel Archived from the original on September 25 2008 Retrieved December 5 2008 Peter Bowyer 2004 Impacts Long Branch Canadian Hurricane Centre Archived from the original on June 11 2011 Retrieved June 17 2009 Gifford p 13 Peter Bowyer 2004 Recovery Evaluation Canadian Hurricane Centre Archived from the original on August 8 2014 Retrieved June 17 2009 Jack W Roberts October 14 1954 Hazel Points at the US Coast The Miami News p 1 Archived from the original on October 6 2018 Retrieved October 4 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Big Scale Relief Is Pushed In Hurricane Battered Haiti The Miami News Associated Press October 15 1954 p 22 Archived from the original on October 6 2018 Retrieved October 5 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Kennedy p 31 The Americas Hazel s Fling Time October 25 1954 Archived from the original on November 16 2010 Retrieved March 15 2010 Stokes pp 178 179 a b Peter Bowyer 2004 Recovery Aftermath Canadian Hurricane Centre Archived from the original on August 8 2014 Retrieved June 17 2009 Peter Bowyer 2004 Mitigation Canadian Hurricane Centre Archived from the original on July 10 2014 Retrieved June 17 2009 Gifford p 99 Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names Miami Florida National Hurricane Center Retrieved February 17 2024 Report of the 1969 Interdepartmental Hurricane Warning Conference Combined Atlantic and Pacific PDF Report Miami Florida National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration March 1969 p 17 Retrieved February 17 2024 Sources edit Cullingworth J B 1987 Urban and regional planning in Canada New Jersey Transaction Publishers ISBN 0 88738 135 9 Filey Mike 2003 Toronto Sketches 7 Toronto Dundurn Press ISBN 1 55002 526 0 Gifford Jim 2004 Hurricane Hazel Canada s Storm of the Century Toronto Dundurn Press ISBN 1 55002 448 5 Hairr John 2008 The Great Hurricanes of North Carolina Stroud United Kingdom The History Press ISBN 978 1 59629 391 5 Kennedy Betty 1979 Hurricane Hazel Toronto Macmillan of Canada ISBN 0 7705 1821 4 Rotberg Robert I amp Clague Christopher K 1971 Haiti the politics of squalor Houghton Mifflin ISBN 0 395 12105 1 Stokes Barbara 2007 Myrtle Beach a history 1900 1980 Columbia South Carolina University of South Carolina Press ISBN 978 1 57003 697 2 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hurricane Hazel CBC Digital Archives The Wrath of Hurricane Hazel Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections York University Archival photographs of Hurricane Hazel from the Toronto Telegram fonds Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hurricane Hazel amp oldid 1215900424, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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