Hurricane Inez
Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | September 21, 1966 |
Dissipated | October 11, 1966 |
Category 5 hurricane | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 165 mph (270 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 927 mbar (hPa); 27.37 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 756–1000 total |
Damage | $223 million (1966 USD) |
Areas affected | Lesser Antilles, Haiti, Cuba, Bahamas, Florida Keys, Yucatán, Mexico |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1966 Atlantic hurricane season |
Hurricane Inez was a powerful
Continuing westward, Inez made
The hurricane moved slowly over Cuba for two days before emerging into the Atlantic Ocean near the Bahamas. It was expected to continue out to sea, although it stalled and resumed its previous westward path. In the Bahamas, heavy rainfall and high tides caused flooding, which killed five people and left $15.5 million in damage. Hurricane-force winds occurred throughout the Florida Keys, where 160 homes and 190 trailers were damaged. Salt spray damaged crops in the region, and there was $5 million in damage and four deaths. In the Straits of Florida, Inez capsized a boat of Cuban refugees, killing 45 people. In the northern Gulf of Mexico, a helicopter crashed after carrying evacuees from an oil rig, killing 11 people. The hurricane threatened the northern Yucatán Peninsula, and although it remained offshore, Inez produced flooding and caused some power outages. At its final landfall, Inez flooded portions of Tamaulipas and cut off roads to Tampico. About 84,000 people were left homeless, and the hurricane destroyed at least 2,500 houses. Damage was estimated at $104 million, and there were 74 deaths in Mexico.
Meteorological history
The origins of Inez were from a
On September 27, Inez strengthened to reach winds of 120 mph (190 km/h), making it a Category 3 hurricane on the
While near peak intensity, Inez was located about 160 mi (260 km) southwest of
Shortly after exiting Cuba into the Atlantic, Inez weakened into a tropical storm, and was moving northeastward through the
The unusual track of Inez marked the first time on record that a tropical cyclone affected the Lesser and Greater Antilles, Bahamas, Florida, and Mexico.[3] The Associated Press described Inez as the "first to strike the Yucatán Peninsula in many years."[6] It was also the first to move across the Gulf of Mexico without turning to the north so late in the season, and the 65 advisories issued by the NHC was the highest number at the time. The path taken by Inez was compared to Hurricane Betsy in 1965, which also slowed and moved erratically due to a strong ridge.[3] Forecasters had difficulty with the hurricane because of its unusual path, as well as the inability to fly the Hurricane Hunters into Inez while it was over Cuba.[7]
Preparations
In Guadeloupe, which was the first area the hurricane affected, residents evacuated to schools set up as shelters.
Along the Yucatán peninsula, about 15,000 people were evacuated from the coastal city of Progreso,[6] in a region that seldom experiences hurricanes.[14] In the northern Gulf of Mexico, a helicopter crashed after evacuating workers from an oil platform about 65 mi (105 km) south-southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana, in otherwise calm conditions; 11 people died, including the pilot.[15] When Inez was approaching its final landfall, the United States Weather Bureau issued hurricane warnings from Brownsville to Port Isabel, Texas, with gale warnings northward to Corpus Christi. At least 2,000 people evacuated from Port Isabel alone,[16] and many shrimp boats were secured.[17] In the Tampico area where Inez made its final landfall, over 31,000 people evacuated to higher grounds.[18]
Impact
Overall, Hurricane Inez killed about 1,000 people, mostly on Hispaniola, and caused over $200 million in damage. Crop damage was less than other storms of similar magnitude, due to Inez's small size and its occurrence late in the season.[3]
Caribbean and Bahamas
When Inez struck Guadeloupe, a station on the island reported sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h), with gusts to 94 mph (151 km/h), before communications failed. Rain on the island reached 6.5 in (170 mm).[3] The high winds destroyed the roofs of thousands of houses, leaving 10,000 people homeless. There was heavy damage to both the banana and sugar crops, described as "flattened" by the St. Petersburg Times.[19] The storm flooded a power plant in Pointe-à-Pitre and downed many power lines, causing power outages.[20] The Associated Press described the hurricane as having "virtually leveled a whole district of Pointe-à-Pitre".[21] Hundreds of people were injured, although because of damaged hospitals and the power outage, most only received makeshift treatment.[22] Inez left 40 people dead and $50 million in damage on the island.[3][12] Strong winds also affected nearby Antigua,[8] and damage was reported from that island to Dominica.[23]
In the
Hurricane Inez struck the Dominican Republic near peak intensity.[3] Along the Barahona Peninsula, more than 800 homes were destroyed, and nationwide about 5,000 people were left homeless. There was heavy damage to the country's cotton industry,[22] as well as the coffee, sugar cane, and cocoa crops along the Barahona Peninsula. In the capital city of Santo Domingo, heavy rains flooded hundreds of homes along the Ozama River, forcing thousands to evacuate.[19] High seas there damaged a portion of a seawall. Many rivers along the Barahona Peninsula were also flooded.[20] Throughout the country, Inez killed about 100 people,[3] including 55 in Juancho,[22] and left $12 million in damage.[3]
In neighboring Haiti, high winds downed power lines and radio towers, which cut outside communication. High rainfall led to flash flooding between mountain ranges,[22] in a location nicknamed the "valley of death"; there, the Weather Bureau remarked that "local winds... may well have exceeded 160 mph (260 km/h)".[23] Thousands of homes were either destroyed or lost their roof.[20] The Haitian government reported over 1,000 deaths in the weeks after the storm. The United States government reported that the hurricane "killed no more than 50" in Haiti, and "nor was there a real emergency," due to president François Duvalier misusing previous aid.[24] The U.S. assessment was incorrect, as the 1966 annual tropical cyclone summary in the Monthly Weather Review indicated 750 deaths in Haiti,[3] mostly in Jacmel. President Duvalier considered the hurricane the "worst storm... since the 1920s."[12] In the country, 1,000 people were injured and 60,000 were left homeless, and damage was estimated at $20.35 million.[25] Throughout Hispaniola, about 1,500 people were seriously injured, and many people were still recovering from Hurricane Flora in 1963.[23]
A station at Guantánamo Bay reported winds of 138 mph (222 km/h) when Inez moved ashore in Cuba, and rainfall reached 12 in (300 mm).[3] Tides were 10 ft (3.0 m) above normal there.[23] The hurricane knocked down trees and power lines, and many roofs were damaged on the naval base.[10] In the city of Guantánamo, the hurricane destroyed 500 houses.[14] High winds heavily damaged the country's sugar and coffee crops.[11] When Inez re-entered the Gulf of Mexico, it threatened northwestern Cuba and produced 12 in (300 mm) of rainfall. High waves and strong winds affected the coastline.[23] In La Habana Province, flooding forced 21,000 people to evacuate,[14] mostly in low-lying areas. One building was destroyed in Havana.[26] Nationwide, Inez injured at least 38 people,[12] and caused five deaths,[3] three of which occurred after Inez moved southwestward from the Florida Keys.[14] Damage totaled $20 million.[3]
In the Bahamas, the hurricane dropped heavy rainfall over three days, reaching 14.31 in (363 mm) in
United States
In the Straits of Florida, high waves from Inez overturned a 24 ft (7.3 m) blockade runner carrying Cuban exiles to Miami. Ten of the passengers escaped on a damaged raft, but the only survivor was the captain;[27] 45 people died due to the boat capsizing.[3] High waves also disabled three ships and beached a Coast Guard boat near Miami;[13] a lifeguard and people on the beach assisted in rescuing the crew of nine Coast Guardsmen amid rough seas.[23]
When the hurricane moved across the Florida Keys, it dropped light rainfall, reaching 4.80 in (122 mm) near
When Inez was making its final landfall in Mexico, its outer circulation reached southern Texas, producing winds of 22 mph (35 km/h) and trace rainfall. Tides reached 3.1 ft (0.94 m) above normal in Corpus Christi,[3] and 10 ft (3.0 m) waves caused $5,000 in damage to piers.[33]
Mexico
While the hurricane was off the north coast of the Yucatán peninsula, Inez produced sustained winds of 69 mph (111 km/h), with gusts to 81 mph (130 km/h), in Mérida.[3] The winds cut power and knocked down trees in Progreso, as well as nearby cities. High waves destroyed a dock in Telchac Puerto.[6] Heavy rainfall flooded streets in Mérida, although damage was not severe.[34]
At the hurricane's final landfall, a station in Tampico reported sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h), with gusts to 127 mph (204 km/h) before communications were cut. Inez dropped heavy rainfall upon moving ashore, causing flooding. In Soto la Marina, Tamaulipas, rainfall totaled 10.12 in (257 mm).[3] In northeastern Mexico, more than 3,000 people were stranded by flooding after dozens of rivers and streams rose above their banks, forcing some families to hold onto trees.[18] The floods washed out roads around Tampico and cut communications and the water supply.[35] In Tamaulipas, 15 people died while trying to deliver supplies to residents along the Tamesi River.[36] Throughout the country, the hurricane left about 84,000 people homeless,[37] and destroyed at least 2,500 houses.[38] Agricultural damage totaled over $80 million, and property damage was estimated at $24 million in Tampico and Ciudad Madero alone.[18] Overall, Inez killed 74 people in Mexico.[37]
Aftermath
In the days after the storm struck Guadeloupe, there was a food shortage.[21] Officials quickly cleared roads and worked to restore the damaged banana crop. Charles de Gaulle visited the island, and the French population unified to provide assistance to the island.[39] In late October 1966, the French government set up a relief fund for Guadeloupe totaling $34 million (₣170 million francs).[40] The government initiated plans to rebuild the island to withstand the winds of strong hurricanes.[39] The United States Agency for International Development flew 20,000 pounds of blankets and clothing to the island.[19] Due to the heavy damage in Hispaniola, VMM-365, a United States Marine Corps helicopter division, spent 454 hours and flew 740 sorties to provide 186,676 tons of relief supplies to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The division also helped evacuate 142 hospital patients.[41] The Dominican Air Force also assisted in transporting injured people from outlying areas to Santo Domingo.[22] The country deployed 5,000 troops to send food, medicine, and clothing to the storm-damaged areas in the interior,[19] as well as Barahona Peninsula.[20] The Holy See sent $2,000 to assist the residents affected by the storm in Haiti.[25] After a nearly ten year boycott due to the actions of Haitian president François Duvalier, the United States provided a $1.3 million loan to the country to help rebuild infrastructure and provide education. Industrialist Clint Murchison gave $50,000 in flour and food from a mill he owned in the country.[42] The United States also sent vaccines and 4,360 pounds of food.[43]
In Cuba, sailors on the USS America (CV-66) spent about 1,700 hours to assist Guantánamo Bay in recovery.[44] The sole survivor of the sinking boat carrying Cuban exiles was tried in a military tribunal. The man was held responsible for the 44 boat deaths and was quickly executed by the Cuban government.[45] The United States Coast Guard deployed boats, helicopters, and airplanes to find victims of the boat capsized in the Straits of Florida.[27] In the United States, the price for lettuce and tomatoes rose due to Inez's crop damage in Florida and reduced crop output in California.[46] The country's military sent helicopters and planes to join the Mexican Air Force,[37] as well as trucks by land,[18] to deliver tons of supplies, including food, clothing, and medicine to flood-affected areas in Tamaulipas.[47] In the weeks after the storm, many residents had minimal food access, and some areas remained flooded. Conditions in Tampico, located near where the storm moved ashore, gradually returned to normal.[37] Heavy rainfall in Mexico restored reservoirs, which assisted future crop growing.[48]
As a result of the storm's disastrous effects, the name Inez was retired, and it will never again be used for another Atlantic hurricane. It was replaced by Isabel in the 1970 season.[49]
See also
- List of retired Atlantic hurricane names
- List of Florida hurricanes (1950-1974)
- Hurricane Georges
- 1900 Galveston Hurricane
- List of Category 5 Atlantic Hurricanes
- Hurricane David - most recent Category 5 hurricane to strike the Dominican Republic since Inez
Notes
- Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale.[1]
- ^ All damage totals are in 1966 United States dollars unless otherwise noted.
References
- ^ National Hurricane Center (2010-07-11). "Glossary of NHC Terms". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ a b c d e Lewis J. Allison (May 1972). The Development of Hurricane Inez, 1966, as Shown by Satellite Nighttime Radiometric and Daytime Television Coverage (PDF) (Report). Goddard Space Flight Center. Retrieved 2013-02-21.
- ^ . Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f "Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)" (Database). United States National Hurricane Center. April 5, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Reanalysis of the 1960-1970 Atlantic Hurricane Seasons". 16 April 2018.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ a b c "Hurricane Aims for Mexico's Eastern Coast". Lewiston Evening Journal. Associated Press. 1966-10-08. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
- ^ Ben Funk (1967-05-24). "Hurricane Pilots Await Castro's OK". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ a b "Inez Lashes Guadeloupe, Roars Toward V.I., P.R." Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Associated Press. 1966-09-28. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
- ISBN 9781438118789. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
- ^ a b John Pomfret. "The History of Guantanamo Bay, Vol. II". Retrieved 2013-02-19.
- ^ a b "Weakened Storm Hovers Off Cuba". Spokane Daily Chronicle. United Press International. 1966-10-01. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ a b c d "Inez Gains Power, Spawns Tornado on Way to Florida". Lodi News-Sentinel. United Press International. 1966-10-03. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ a b c d "Inez Roils Gulf After Pounding Florida Keys". Toledo Blade. Associated Press. 1966-10-05. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ a b c d "Hurricane Inez Whirls Winds Near Yucatan". St. Petersburg Times. 1966-10-07. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ "Helicopter Crashes, 11 Killed". Star-News. United Press International. 1966-10-10. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ "Inez Veers From Texas, Rips Into Tampico Area". The Daily Banner. United Press International. 1966-10-10. Archived from the original on 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ "Hurricane Inez Refuses to Die". United Press International. 1966-10-09. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ a b c d "Inez Destruction Estimates Mount". The Palm Beach Post. United Press International. 1966-10-13. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ a b c d "Weaker Hurricane Inez Aims Winds at Eastern Cuba". St. Petersburg Times. 1966-09-30. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
- ^ a b c d "Hurricane 'Inez' Batters Haiti and Dominican Republic". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 1966-09-29. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
- ^ a b c "Inez Aims Fury at Seaport in the Dominican". The Lewiston Daily Sun. Associated Press. 1966-09-29. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
- ^ a b c d e "Inez Again Threatens Florida and Gulf Coast". The Victoria Advocate. 1966-10-01. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ ISBN 9780807830680. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
inez.
- ^ Rowland Evans; Robert Novak (1966-10-11). "Campaign Contribution Returned to Birchite". The Free Lance-Star. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ a b "Inez Hurt Haiti". The Calgary Herald. Reuters. 1966-12-01. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ a b "Hurricane Inez Lumbering Toward Mexico". The Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. 1966-10-07. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ a b "Cuban Refugees Hurricane Victims". The Bulletin. United Press International. 1966-10-06. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ David M. Roth (2007-06-20). Hurricane Inez - October 1-6, 1966 (Report). Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
- ^ a b Florida Hurricane "Inez" Damage Report (PDF) (Report). United States Department of Agriculture. 1966-10-07. Retrieved 2013-02-21.
- ^ (Flash) Flood Impact (Report). Melbourne, Florida National Weather Service. 2005-09-08. Archived from the original on March 20, 2006. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
- ^ "Hurricane Season's Officially Here Again". The Miami News. 1980-05-30. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ "Florida Battens Down Hatches for Floyd". The Modesto Bee. United Press International. 1987-10-12. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ Oscar Kaufmann (1966-10-11). "Inez Ending Sweep After Taking Swipe at Mexico". Times Daily. Associated Press. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ "Inez Heading for Mexico's East Coast". The Southeast Missourian. Associated Press. 1966-10-07. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ "Hurricane Inez Moves Across Mexican Coast". The Montreal Gazette. Reuters. 1966-10-11. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ "15 Perish on Inez Mercy Mission". The Press-Courier. United Press International. 1966-10-13. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- ^ a b c d "U.S. Planes Aid Victims of Hurricane". Gettysburg Times. Associated Press. 1966-10-15. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ "15 Die as Mercy Launch Sinks". Sarasota Journal. United Press International. 1966-10-13. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- ^ a b Complete Report of the Meetings of Parliament Debates (PDF) (Report). Official Newspaper of the French Republic. 1966-11-28. pp. 2087, 2102. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
- ^ "Inez Fund Opened". The Leader-Post. Associated Press. 1966-10-29. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ "Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-365 [HMM-365]". Globalsecurity.org. 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ Drew Pearson (1966-11-20). "Haiti Back on U.S. Aid Rolls". The Press-Courier. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ "Inez Sweeps Florida Keys". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Associated Press. 1966-10-06. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
- ^ "America Battle Group [CV 66]". Globalsecurity.org. 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ "'El Flaco' Executed". The Spokesman-Review. Reuters. 1967-01-21. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ "Housewives Reaping Lower Food Prices". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. 1966-11-03. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ "Inez Spotlights Hazard". Edmonton Journal. Associated Press. 1966-10-12. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ "Hurricane's energy can ravage coastal regions". The Southeast Missourian. 1974-08-23. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ^ Gary Padgett; Jack Beven; James Lewis Free; Sandy Delgado (2012-05-23). Subject: B3) What storm names have been retired? (Report). Hurricane Research Division. Archived from the original on 2006-12-06. Retrieved 2013-02-09.