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I can’t image what kind of damage a storm like that would inflict.įrank Graff is a producer/reporter with UNC-TV, focusing on North Carolina Science Now, a weekly science series that airs Wednesdays, beginning in August 2013, as part of North Carolina Now on UNC-TV. Projecting out 30 years from now, which is the report’s timeline, the storm surge could be nine inches higher.
The report says because of the sea level change that has occurred in the 60 years since Hazel struck, a storm of similar strength would have a storm surge six inches higher - about 24 feet - if it hit today. Essentially, there is a lot more water offshore. The report says the destruction would be even worse today, not just because there is more development along the coast, but sea level rise has made the ocean a lot higher. The property damage totaled $136 million. Approximately 15,000 homes and structures were destroyed another 39,000 homes and structures were damaged. The mountains could have a marked effect on the direction and velocity of the hurricane. In North Carolina, 19 people were killed and 200 were injured. On Friday, 15 October, 1954, Torontonians were feeling the effects of Hurricane Hazel which had just hit land in the Carolinas as more than one inch of rain fell during the morning commute, snarling traffic and flooding roads. The dePeuter family standing next to their house, surrounded by debris. CA BWGPL LHC-Dis-Hazel-06 Item 1979 Part of Local History Collection. Records from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric and Administration (NOAA) show Hazel packed 140 mile per hour winds and an 18-foot storm surge when it made landfall. Photograph from Betty Kennedys Hurricane Hazel, found in the Local History Collection. The hurricane was a Category 4 storm when it struck the North Carolina/South Carolina border in 1954. To better understand that sentence, let’s look at the most destructive hurricane in the state’s history: Hurricane Hazel. And, as the report by the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission's Science Panel says, “over time it exacerbates existing coastal hazards.” What makes sea level change so significant now is that there are many more of us living near the coast. Scientists have pretty strong evidence the seas are rising again.
Scientists have plenty of evidence that ocean levels rise and fall several times over thousands of years. The resulting public acquisition of valley landsĪnd restrictions on development in flood plains have left a legacy of treasured green spaces in the city and beyond.While the debate rages on about the cause of sea level rise and if human activity is speeding up the process, the phenomena itself is not a new coastal hazard. In all, Hurricane Hazel left 81 dead in Toronto, nearly 1900 families homeless and caused over $25 million in damages.Īs a result of the tragic loss of life and lack of preparation, local municipalities and the province developed a comprehensive plan for flood control and water conservation that has transformed the region. Five firefightersįrom the Kingsway-Lambton Fire Station were killed when they went to rescue people stranded in a car by floodwaters from the Humber River. In Weston, off-duty police officer Jim Crawford and Herb Jones, a contractor, risked their lives on the turbulent Humber saving 50 lives. Many brave rescue efforts were undertaken, even though the current on the rivers imperiled rescue boats. Dramatically overflowing its banks, theĬascading Humber River ripped entire homes from their foundations, killing more than 30 people on Raymore Drive alone. The flood plains of Toronto's several river systems, deforested and already saturated by days of rain, simply could not contain the downpour.
The storm struck Toronto on 15 October with winds of 124 km/h and record rainfall.īy 7:00 PM the winds had abated, but the worst was yet to come. Smashed into Haiti and then battered the Carolinas.
It was first identified on 5 October 1954, in the Caribbean, where it Hurricane Hazel was one of the most devastating and unpredictable tropical storms of the 20th century. Visit its companion website, which is linked below, to explore all the features of the app online. The app is available from the App Store and the Google Play store.
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This text is from the free Toronto in Time app, which was created by The Canadian Encyclopedia.