Hurricanes are bad news. And although we Brits are no strangers to a bit of wind and rain, we are relatively lucky compared to our Transatlantic cousins in the USA and beyond. Each year hurricane season arrives and more often than not a tropical storm with a ridiculous name will sweep its way in, causing devastation.

With the recent trauma superstorm Sandy has caused, currently estimated at $20 billion (£12billlion), with it’s time to look at some of our planets most devastating and memorable storms.

Galveston 1900

Let’s start from the top. Galveston is a coastal city within the state of Texas, USA. You may have never heard of Galveston if it hadn’t been for the hurricane which hit at the turn of the 20^th century.

On September 4^th 1900, a warning was issued by the US Weather Bureau about a storm heading for the area, but decided to leave out words like ‘hurricane’ or ‘tornado’ to avoid panic; sadly, it was this that ultimately cost many lives, as residents underestimated the approaching maelstrom.

Often cited as the most devastating storm in American history, the damage created totalled a whopping £12 million, about £300 million in today’s money.

Hurricane Katrina 2005

Fresh in the mind of many an American, Katrina devastated New Orleans, flooding 80% of the city and leaving 1,836 people homeless.

Although the death toll cannot compare with the events in Galveston, it’s the most expensive in US history, causing £50 billion worth of damage and doubling the homeless rate in the city.

Bhola cyclone 1970

Not as strong as the others in the list but the aftermath and damage it caused had a significant effect upon the death toll.

It is widely considered to be the most prolific tropical cyclone in history and it is estimated 85% of the population had their homes destroyed in the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and West Bengal, India.

The reason that it was so prolific is because of the damage caused in the aftermath. Crops and villages were washed away which caused many to starve.

The Great Hurricane 1780

The deadliest ever Atlantic hurricane, which caused a significant amount of damage. At the time of the American Revolution, with Britain and France vying for control of West Indian islands, a deadly wind swept through the islands of St Lucia, Barbados and Jamaica, and left only two houses in St Lucia unscathed. Both Britain and France lost considerable amounts of ships and soldiers, with France in particular losing 40 vessels and 4,000 soldiers.

[Editor’s Note: Next time you study weather, consider having your children look up these storms!]

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