Hurricane Camille

By: Jordan Griffin

Hurricane Camille struck on August 17th, 1969. It stands to be the strongest storm to ever hit the United States on record. When most storms at this intensity tend to linger out to sea or weaken before it makes landfall, Camille stayed its intensity when it hit landfall. The Mississippi coast vanished as a result of this Hurricane.

• WINDS: 190 mph

• PRESSURE: 909 Mb./26.84 inches.

• STORM - SURGE: 22 - 25 feet above Mean Tide.

Camille was detected by satellite on August 14, 1969, as a tropical disturbance moving west in the Caribbean Sea. Early on the 15th, Camille became a strengthening hurricane while located off the western tip of Cuba. Crossing Cuba late on the 15th, Camille came in the southern Gulf of Mexico with 100 mph winds. By mid day on the 16th, reports from reconnaissance aircraft indicated that the storm had now slowed, but was intensifying, winds had now reached 115 mph. By early evening, Camille was barely moving, but was intensifying rapidly with winds near 150 mph.

During this time, millions of Gulf coast residents snapped to attention. Camille was now among the strongest hurricanes ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Not since 1947, had a storm of this intensity threatened the central Gulf. By late in the afternoon on the 16th, an estimated 200,000 persons fled the central Gulf coast, while 50 civil defense shelters were opened. Near midnight on the 16th, hurricane warnings covered the entire middle Gulf coast. It was now estimated that Camille would strike near the mouth of the Mississippi River.

After Camille moved inland, the storm weakened, but not before triggering flash flooding and landslides over the mountains of the southeastern United States. Torrential rains poured over the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, with 27 inches measured in one location. The flood waters rushed down the mountain slopes, sweeping away roads, bridges, and buildings. More than 100 were killed in Virginia and Tennessee alone.

15,000 people we’re left homeless

There was no water, food, or fuel

Camille swiped out all means of communication. Roads, bridges, airports, and even railroads were impassable.

Although there is some question as to the total death toll from Camille - the best estimates are 255 people killed, and 8,900 injured. A number of people (50 - 75) were never found. The total damage from Camille was $4.2 billion ( in 1969 dollars). Several sources consider Hurricane Camille the largest single act of destruction in United States history (until Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Katrina). More than 14,000 housing units were damaged, and 6,000 others were totally destroyed (Coburn 1977). As of the 2006 hurricane season, Camille remains the most intense hurricane to strike the United States mainland.

http://www.geocities.com/hurricanene/hurricanecamille.htm