Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was a devastating natural disaster that struck in September 2008, causing significant destruction across the Caribbean and the United States. Originating as a tropical storm off the west coast of Africa, Ike intensified into a category 4 hurricane as it moved through the Caribbean, wreaking havoc in Cuba before making landfall on the Gulf Coast. The storm generated winds that spanned 600 miles, with gusts reaching up to 110 miles per hour, and produced a storm surge of 10 to 15 feet upon hitting Texas. The hurricane led to over 100 fatalities, with the majority occurring in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, and left nearly three million people without power. The estimated damage from Ike exceeded $24.9 billion, marking it as the third-costliest hurricane in U.S. history, following Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Andrew. The storm also resulted in significant environmental impacts, including the spillage of over half a million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. In the wake of the disaster, criticisms arose regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) response, prompting discussions about improving coastal defenses, such as the proposed "Ike Dike," to mitigate future hurricane damage.
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Hurricane Ike
The Event: Category 4 hurricane that caused significant damage to Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, as well as parts of the Caribbean
Date: September 1–14, 2008
Place: Gulf Coast of the United States and the Caribbean
Hurricane Ike was one of the most destructive natural disasters in US history. Ike was responsible for more than one hundred deaths across the Caribbean and the United States. Its landfall on the US Gulf Coast created one of the costliest disasters the United States had ever experienced.
Hurricane Ike began forming over the ocean off the west coast of Africa in late August, and was categorized as a tropical storm on September 1. As the storm made its way through the Caribbean, it strengthened to a category 4 hurricane, causing serious damage in Cuba. Ike then moved along the southern coast of the United States through the Gulf of Mexico. The storm weakened after its landfall in Cuba, but the extent of hurricane-force winds spread as Ike passed over the Gulf Coast. The storm became so large that its winds spanned six hundred miles and gusted at speeds up to 110 miles per hour, making the waters of the Gulf of Mexico extremely turbulent. By the time Ike reached Texas, the storm surge had reached ten to fifteen feet in height. On September 13, the storm made landfall along the northern end of Galveston Island, Texas, and most of the homes on nearby Bolivar Peninsula and many on Galveston Island were completely razed by the surge.
Throughout Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, eighty-four people died as a result of Hurricane Ike. In Texas and Louisiana, nearly three million people were left without power. Ike’s winds were so strong in Houston, Texas, that part of the roof of Reliant Stadium was ripped off. The storm also caused significant damage and twenty-eight deaths throughout the Ohio River Valley as it pulled to the north. The total estimated damage of Ike in the United States was valued at more than $24.9 billion, making it the third-costliest US hurricane following Katrina (2005) and Andrew (1992).
Impact
Hurricane Ike caused more than half a million gallons of crude oil to spill into the Gulf of Mexico and the waters surrounding Texas and Louisiana. More than three thousand pollution reports tracked the influx of hazardous materials into nearby communities. Many people also complained about the way the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) handled the aftermath of the storm. Texas in particular criticized FEMA for its unpreparedness and slow response. Hurricane Ike inspired Houston politicians to recommend the construction of the “Ike Dike,” a proposed barrier wall that would stretch sixty miles along the coast to protect the city from future hurricanes, although no formal action has yet been taken on the idea.
Bibliography
Berg, Robbie. Tropical Cyclone Report Hurricane Ike (AL092008) 1–14 September 2008. National Hurricane Center. Natl. Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 3 May 2010. PDF file.
Drye, Willie. “‘Freak’ Hurricane Ike Will Cost $22 Billion.” National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 15 Sept. 2008. Web. 7 Aug. 2012.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. Mitigation Assessment Team Report: Hurricane Ike in Texas and Louisiana: Building Performance Observations, Recommendations, and Technical Guidance. FEMA, Apr. 2009. PDF file.
Krauss, Clifford. “Hurricane Damage Extensive in Texas.” New York Times. New York Times, 13 Sept. 2008. Web. 7 Aug. 2012.