The 1900 hurricane marked itself as one of the deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States, and along with it came the hurricane of 1928.The 1928 Okeechobee hurricane caused heavy losses to the areas that it affected but was less severe in comparison to the 1900 hurricane. Hurricanes are natural disasters that create chaos in their aftermath, leaving hundreds and thousands of people either dead or suffering.The Okeechobee hurricane or the San Felipe Segundo hurricane was a tropical cyclone that is categorized as the third deadliest hurricane in the history of the United States. The first deadliest hurricane was in 1900. The Okeechobee storm was so strong that property damage of $744 million (in today’s dollars) was reported in coastal Florida along with nearby areas. The hurricane’s speed was 160 mph (257.5 kph). Over 25,000 homes were destroyed, and 2,500-4200 people were killed by the great hurricane storm of Okeechobee. The major hurricane destroyed the connection between the area and other parts of the city. West Palm Beach was severely affected in comparison to the other cities. Along with it, the other places which were majorly affected were Puerto Rico, Lake Okeechobee in South Florida, along with other parts of the east coast of Florida, Palm Beach County, and South Bay. The landslide disaster in Palm Beach County made the hurricane a category four; otherwise, it is considered to be a Category five.The water of Lake Okeechobee rose to a height of 10 ft (3 m). The speed of hurricane storms kept on fluctuating from 145-160 mph (233-257.5 kph). The hurricane wreaked major havoc in low-lying areas, affecting many migrant farmworkers. The hurricane-force winds moved in a northeast direction from southern regions. West Palm Beach was the origin point of the hurricane. Florida, especially southern Florida, is more vulnerable to hurricanes, storms, and flooding than most places. If you enjoy reading this article about the Okeechobee hurricane, then do read some interesting and surprising fun facts about the 1966 North Dakota blizzard and the 1972 Iran blizzard.Who was affected by the Okeechobee hurricane?The migrant farmworkers and black people of Florida, Puerto Rico, South Bay, and West Palm Beach were badly impacted by the storm-like disaster.Most natural disasters create havoc either by taking people’s lives or by destroying their houses. In the history of the United States, many hurricanes have been reported, including the 1928 hurricane of Okeechobee. The hurricane caused flooding along the coastline of Florida; the water of Lake Okeechobee was raised; Puerto Rico, West Palm Beach, South Bay, and many other areas along with them were badly affected.The people residing near Lake Okeechobee had to face their first hurricane flood in which the water level rose by 10 ft (3 m). The flood was accompanied by a powerful, heavy storm.As per records, most of the people who lost their lives were migrant farmworkers. For this reason, they also faced a racist aftermath. Heavy winds and rainfall were the causes of the rising water level. The first hurricane hit Puerto Rico, killing many people, and the dike broke due to the rising water level in Lake Okeechobee. Why was the dike built around lake Okeechobee?The dike was built along lake Okeechobee to prevent flooding in the area due to any natural calamities such as hurricanes, heavy rain, and storms.The Herbert Hoover Dike was built in 1932 in response to heavy flooding in the surrounding areas caused by bad weather. Okeechobee is considered the heart of the Everglades-Okeechobee-Kissimmee system. It helped the people who lived near the river that had been flooded. The need was felt following the Okeechobee flood when the water level in Lake Okeechobee rose to 10 ft (3 m).It not only affected the people there but also took place in the nearby areas of Palm Beach County. The 68 mi (109 km) long dike toward the south was completed in 1936, while the 16 mi (25.7) long dike towards the north was built in 1938. Sequentially, more areas were covered by the government in later years after facing the aftermath of a hurricane and natural disaster along the coast of Florida.The flood caused by the rise in lake water ruined the citrus crops of oranges and grapes that were growing there. Migrant farmworkers were also badly affected by the hurricane. The storm wind toward the south was so strong that it actually led to an overflow of lake water from the dike. Houses were destroyed, and many people were washed away. The people who managed to get through the flood were victims of poisonous snakes and other animals. How long did the Okeechobee hurricane last?The Okeechobee hurricane started on September 6, 1928, and ended on September 20, 1928.The hurricane was called the San Felipe Segundo Hurricane because it occurred on Saint Philip Day. Therefore, the people living there called the hurricane Saint Philip the Second. The Okeechobee hurricane started on September 16, 1928, and ended on September 18, 1928, in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane originally started on September 6, 1928, in Dakar, West Africa, and later took its path toward the Atlantic Ocean.Then, on September 16, it reached Puerto Rico and the Bahamas and started to move in a northeast direction towards Florida. On September 18, 1928, the hurricane merged into the Atlantic Ocean, reemerged in South Carolina, and finally ended on September 21, 1928, in Ontario. In South Carolina, it took an extratropical cyclone form and was less destructive, with a low storm and low wind pressure.What was the aftermath of the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane?The aftermath of the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane was similar to the 1900 hurricane, but the damage caused to the people was a little less, apart from the economic loss.Most of the migrant farmworkers from Africa, who resided in Florida for their livelihood, had to face the worst of the aftermath, along with racism. The number of people thought to have been killed in the Okeechobee hurricane varies from 2500–4200. It is also known that around 25,000 people lost their homes. Many of the deaths went unreported because some people vanished as they were washed away in the flood caused by the hurricane.The speed of hurricane storms kept on fluctuating from 145-160 mph (233-257.5 kph). The Okeechobee storm was so strong that property damage of $744 million (in today’s dollars) was reported in coastal Florida along with nearby areas. The Bahamas and Puerto Rico, the two island states, were hard hit along with Florida. The flood caused by the rise in lake water level in Okeechobee was the primary cause of the heavy losses in Florida. After the floods of 1926 and 1928, the Okeechobee County Flood Control Board was formed, and the Herbert Hoover Dike Project was started in 1932.The aftermath of the hurricane laid the foundation for the Great Depression era, in which the economic growth of the country slowed down in the United States. The states were almost recovering from the aftermath when they had to face Mediterranean fruit flies in 1929. There was a ban on the import of fruits and vegetation in Florida. A mass burial site for the victims of the hurricane was built in West Palm Beach.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘1928 Okeechobee hurricane facts that will leave you shocked’, then why not take a look at ‘1944 Vesuvius eruption’, or ‘1900 Galveston hurricane facts for kids’?
The 1900 hurricane marked itself as one of the deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States, and along with it came the hurricane of 1928.
