Lake Okeechobee Florida Hurricane 1928
Second Highest Death Toll Since the 1900 Galveston Hurricane
Jul 8, 2008
Lake Okeechobee is a large freshwater lake in southern Florida that covers 730 square miles and is 40 miles west of the Atlantic Ocean.
It is situated at the junction of five counties: Glades, Martin, Okeechobee, Hendry, and Palm Beach. In the 1920’s, the rich black soil surrounding Lake Okeechobee was being used for agriculture.
The main town at the time was Belle Glade and many families set up farms. The area was very popular for migrant workers. Surrounding the lake was a poorly-built mud levee with the approximate height of four feet.
Path of the Okeechobee Hurricane
The storm was first sighted on September 10, 1928 by the crew of the S.S. Commack stationed 900 miles east of Guadeloupe. It struck Guadeloupe on September 12th as a category 3 hurricane. When the storm hit Puerto Rico on September 13th, it had increased to a category 5 hurricane with wind speeds of approximately 160 mph.
The Okeechobee Hurricane was also known as Hurricane San Felipe Segundo because it struck Puerto Rico on the feast day of Saint Philip. San Felipe was named “segundo” which is the Spanish word for “second” because the first Hurricane San Felipe hit Puerto Rico on the exact same day 52 years earlier.
The storm moved over the Bahamas as a category 4 hurricane and it proceeded west-northwest towards Florida.
Forecasters from the U.S. Weather Service had warned the Florida residents of the hurricane looming in the distance so there was some degree of preparation in the coastal areas. At Lake Okeechobee, many of the residents had moved to safer ground but decided to return to their homes when the hurricane didn’t arrive at the predicted time.
On the evening of September 16, 1928 the hurricane made landfall in southern Florida as a category 4. The eye passed over Palm Beach County between Jupiter and Boca Raton. The heavy winds seriously damaged buildings and the storm surge rushed in at a height of ten feet and waves of 20 feet pounded the coastline. Then the hurrcane eyewall headed directly for Lake Okeechobee.
Hurricane Damage at Lake Okeechobee
When the leading part of the eyewall crossed Lake Okeechobee, strong winds were clocked at 140 mph. As a result, the winds forced the water to the south end of the lake and the mud levee broke. The surrounding agricultural land was immediately flooded. Water covered an area of 75 miles along the lake and to a distance of 6 miles from the lake shore. In some places, the water was over 20 feet deep.
Houses were destroyed on contact and the residents were clinging to the debris as the rushing waters and the strong wind carried them for miles.
When the rear of the eyewall crossed over Lake Okeechobee, the flood waters reversed and the levees on the north end of the lake broke. A wall of water rushed into the surrounding area and destroyed everything in its path.
Lake Okeechobee Hurricane/ Hurricane San Felipe Segundo Death Toll
According to the National Ocean Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 1,836 people died in Florida, mainly due to the lake surge. An additional 312 people died in Puerto Rico, and 18 more were reported dead in the Bahamas. Damage to property was estimated at $50,000,000 in Puerto Rico and $25,000,000 in Florida.
The Aftermath of the Lake Okeechobee Hurricane
The Florida State legislature formed the Okeechobee Flood Control District and commissioned the U.S. Corps of Engineers to build new levees plus a network of channels and flood gates. In 1947, a hurricane that hit Fort Lauderdale caused damage to the levee at Lake Okeechobee so it was rebuilt and expanded. Since then, there has been no further damage from hurricanes.
Sources:
Memorial Page for the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane: National Weather Service, WFO Miami Florida
Hurricane History Okeechobee San Filipe Hurricane 1928: National Ocean Atmosperic Administation
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