As Hurricane Milton bears down on the Gulf Coast, cities like Tampa and St. Petersburg are preparing for its arrival while many residents evacuate to areas deemed safer. This comes shortly after the region dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which wreaked havoc less than two weeks earlier, leaving debris scattered throughout the landscape.
Despite fluctuating classifications between Category 4 and 5, Milton is anticipated to make landfall as an extremely perilous hurricane on Wednesday. The potential for damage is closely tied to the storm surge it generates along the coast, while the number of casualties may depend on how many individuals followed evacuation orders.
Historically, major hurricanes have led to significant loss of life and extensive property damage within the United States.
**Hurricane Helene – 2024**
Having made landfall on Florida’s Panhandle on September 26, Hurricane Helene impacted six states and resulted in at least 236 fatalities, with a still undetermined number of individuals missing. The powerful storm, categorized as a 4, unleashed catastrophic flooding that tore homes from their foundations and uprooted trees, leaving many without essential services like power and water for extended periods.
Tragically, falling trees accounted for numerous deaths, including several in South Carolina and the heartbreaking loss of a mother and her two infants in Georgia. First responders, such as a nurse in Tennessee who perished while attempting to rescue a stranded man caught in the flood, were also among those lost. The road to recovery for homeowners is particularly challenging, as many were unable to secure flood insurance to facilitate rebuilding efforts.
**Hurricane Beryl – 2024**
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hurricane Beryl kicked off the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. The unusually high sea temperatures led to its rapid intensification into a Category 5 storm by early July, with peak winds recorded at 165 mph (270 kph) before it declined to a still-alarming Category 4.
By the time Beryl reached Texas, it had dropped to a Category 1. Preliminary reports attribute at least 36 deaths to the storm, which resulted in estimated damages ranging from $28 billion to $32 billion, according to AccuWeather.
**Hurricane Idalia – 2023**
On August 30, 2023, Hurricane Idalia struck Florida with winds of 125 mph (201 kph), devastating the area by splitting trees and tearing roofs off buildings as it moved into Georgia and South Carolina, flooding roads and pushing residents to seek higher elevations. This Category 4 hurricane was the most formidable storm to hit Florida’s Big Bend region in over 125 years, claiming 12 lives and leaving damage estimates over $3.6 billion, as reported by the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
**Hurricane Ian – 2022**
Hurricane Ian reached maximum Category 5 strength before making landfall as a Category 4 storm in southwest Florida in September 2022. Its destruction resulted in damages exceeding $112 billion and more than 150 deaths, both directly and indirectly, as stated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Ian is noted as the costliest hurricane in Florida’s history and ranks third in overall U.S. history for hurricane damages. The storm affected not only Florida but also parts of Georgia, Virginia, the Carolinas, and even Cuba before dissipating on October 1, 2022.
**Hurricane Ida – 2021**
A late August 2021 event, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 storm, boasting winds of 150 mph (241 kph). The hurricane significantly disrupted power in New Orleans, damaged buildings, and even altered the Mississippi River’s flow as it surged inland. It was one of the strongest hurricanes to impact the mainland U.S., with at least 91 fatalities across nine states attributed to the storm, primarily due to drowning. Damage estimates placed Ida’s impact at around $36 billion.
**Hurricane Zeta – 2020**
On October 29, 2020, Hurricane Zeta struck southeastern Louisiana, leaving millions without electricity. Although it weakened to a tropical storm upon departing the Yucatan Peninsula, it regained strength to become a Category 3 hurricane before landfall. Zeta was responsible for five deaths and caused damages totaling approximately $4.4 billion within the United States.
**Hurricane Delta – 2020**
Hurricane Delta made landfall on October 9, 2020, in Louisiana, just weeks after Hurricane Laura wreaked similar havoc. Initially a Category 4 storm, it made two landfalls, dissipating to Category 2 status at landfall. Delta impacted southwestern Louisiana after first striking the Yucatan Peninsula and was linked to six fatalities across both the U.S. and Mexico, alongside $2.9 billion in damages.
**Hurricane Laura – 2020**
Ripping through southwest Louisiana on August 27, 2020, Hurricane Laura entered as a Category 4 storm with winds of 150 mph (240 kph) and a storm surge that reached as high as 15 feet (4.5 meters) in some areas. The storm resulted in 47 deaths in the U.S. and Hispaniola and inflicted damages amounting to approximately $19 billion, according to assessments from the National Hurricane Center. Deaths resulted from various incidents, including fallen trees, drowning, and carbon monoxide poisoning from unsafe generator use.
