The United States experienced two major hurricanes in 2024: Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, which struck just days apart, leading to significant devastation. While both hurricanes caused widespread damage, Hurricane Milton proved to be stronger and more catastrophic, breaking several records.
Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene, a deadly Category 3 storm, struck the U.S. on September 26, 2024. It affected six states, including Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. The storm caused a massive storm surge, flash floods, and winds up to 125 mph, resulting in significant infrastructure damage and loss of life. Helene claimed over 200 lives, making it the deadliest storm in the region since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The hardest-hit areas, particularly in Florida and North Carolina, saw entire neighbourhoods submerged and hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses damaged or destroyed.
Economic Loss: The estimated economic damage caused by Hurricane Helene exceeded $15 billion. This includes damage to residential areas, transportation systems, and power grids. Major cities along the eastern coast were affected, with extensive flooding in Jacksonville, Raleigh, and Charleston.
Hurricane Milton
Just two weeks after Helene, Hurricane Milton hit the U.S. mainland on October 9, 2024. It was even stronger, reaching Category 4 with winds exceeding 145 mph and storm surges of up to 15 feet. It primarily affected Florida’s west coast, impacting areas such as Sarasota, Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, and Fort Myers. The storm made landfall while many regions were still recovering from Helene’s destruction, exacerbating the situation.
The combination of Milton’s high winds, powerful storm surge, and flying debris from Helene’s aftermath caused catastrophic damage. In many areas, homes that survived Helene were severely damaged by Milton. Power outages affected over 4 million people, and the storm left entire communities uninhabitable.
Economic Loss: The total economic damage caused by Hurricane Milton is estimated between $160 billion and $180 billion, making it one of the most expensive hurricanes in U.S. history. Florida’s tourism and agriculture sectors were hit hard, with crops destroyed, beaches eroded, and infrastructure decimated.
Also Read: Hurricane Milton’s: The Human Cost of the Storm!
Affected Areas
- Florida: Sarasota, Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Fort Myers, and surrounding areas were severely impacted by both hurricanes. The west coast saw extensive flooding and wind damage, leaving thousands homeless.
- North Carolina: Cities like Raleigh and Charlotte saw significant flooding from both Helene and Milton, especially in low-lying areas.
- South Carolina and Georgia: These states experienced moderate flooding and power outages, with coastal areas seeing the most damage.
- Mississippi and Alabama: These states dealt with high winds and flash floods, particularly from Helene, with major disruptions to transportation and infrastructure.
Stronger Hurricane in 100 Years
When comparing the strength of hurricanes over the past century, Hurricane Milton is one of the most powerful and destructive. While Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Hurricane Harvey (2017) were extremely destructive in terms of financial losses and loss of life, Milton’s economic impact and intensity rank it among the strongest storms in modern history.
In terms of wind speeds and economic loss, Milton stands out as one of the most powerful storms in 100 years. It caused record-breaking storm surges and extreme wind damage along Florida’s west coast. Although Hurricane Wilma (2005) and Hurricane Andrew (1992) were stronger in terms of wind speed when they made landfall, Milton’s combination of size, strength, and the timing after Helene made it more devastating.
Time to Recover
Given the scale of damage from both hurricanes, it could take several years for full recovery. Immediate recovery efforts, such as restoring power and clearing debris, will take months, while rebuilding homes and infrastructure may take 3 to 5 years or longer in some of the hardest-hit areas.
Federal and state aid has been deployed, but long-term recovery will involve massive investments in rebuilding homes, schools, hospitals, and public services. The economic impact on local businesses, particularly in tourism and agriculture, will take even longer to recover, with losses in these industries expected to stretch into billions.
Was the U.S. Response Effective?
The U.S. response to both hurricanes was swift, but lessons from Hurricane Helene were crucial in managing the response to Hurricane Milton. For Helene, evacuation orders were not fully followed, leading to unnecessary deaths. However, Milton saw improved evacuation compliance, which likely saved lives. Despite this, the back-to-back storms stretched emergency services and disaster recovery efforts thin.
Some critiques focus on the lack of preparedness for the second storm, as many regions were still dealing with Helene’s aftermath when Milton struck. The need for better long-term infrastructure planning and more robust emergency management systems has been highlighted, as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of hurricanes.