(Reuters) – Hurricane Ian intensified to an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm on Wednesday as it steamed toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, threatening to bring destruction and life-threatening conditions to much of the state.
As Floridians brace for the approaching storm, here are the five of the most deadly and destructive hurricanes to hit the state in recent years, listed in chronological order.
While Hurricane Katrina in 2005 traveled across the southern tip of Florida, most of the damage it caused was in New Orleans. Katrina still ranks as both the deadliest and most expensive hurricane in modern U.S. history.
Excluding Katrina, Hurricane Irma was the costliest in Florida history, with total U.S. damage estimated at $50 billion.
Hurricane Andrew directly killed 15 people and dozens indirectly, while Hurricane Irma caused seven direct and 80 indirect deaths, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Andrew, 1992
The Category 5 hurricane struck South Miami-Dade County with winds of 165 miles per hour (270 km per hour), causing an estimated $25 billion in damages in the state. Fifteen people were killed as a direct effect of the storm, with dozens more dying of indirect causes. Andrew ranked as the most expensive storm in U.S. history until Hurricane Katrina raged through New Orleans in 2005.
Hurricane Charley, 2004
Charley was an unexpectedly powerful hurricane, rapidly developing into a Category 4 storm just before making landfall at Cayo Costa, an island of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Nine people were directly killed by the storm and an estimated $6.8 billion was lost, according to the NHC.
Hurricane Wilma, 2005
The death toll of Wilma was thankfully low — five people directly — for a Category 4 storm. Even so, the bill for the hurricane’s property damage was particularly high at an estimated $20.6 billion in the U.S. Wilma ravaged the southern part of the state, generating wind gusts of more than 100 mph (161 kph).
Hurricane Irma, 2017
Irma was unique for its extensive size and slow movement, which exacerbated the storm’s damaging winds and heavy rainfall. It left 6.5 million customers without power in the state and caused an estimated $50 billion in property damage, making it one of the costliest hurricanes in U.S. history. Seven people died from the storm and 80 indirectly, according to an NHC tally.
Hurricane Michael, 2018
Michael was the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle, according to the National Weather Service. Wind and storm surge caused catastrophic damage, particularly in the Panama City Beach and Mexico Beach areas. Eight direct fatalities were reported: seven in Florida and one in Georgia. In addition, 43 indirect deaths were attributed to the storm.
(Reporting by Tyler Clifford in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
