Let’s Take Look at the Major Floods to
Impact Florida

Hurricanes & Tropical Storms

More storms hit Florida than any other U.S. state. More important, in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in 2017, up to 80% of home damages involving flooding were not insured.

In fact, since 1851 only 18 hurricane seasons have passed without a known storm impacting the state. The Atlantic Hurricane Season lasts for six months (June 1 – November 30) and, if one strikes, can cause extreme winds, heavy thunderstorms, flooding, and storm surges. Florida’s recorded hurricane history includes approximately 500 tropical or subtropical cyclones. Additionally, the cumulative impacts from the storms have totaled over $141 billion in damage (primarily from Hurricane Andrew in 1992) and the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons where the state was affected by five named storms category 3 or higher.

The strongest hurricane to most recently hit the state was Hurricane Charley in 2004. This was the strongest hurricane since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Since then, Hurricane Ivan, Jeanne, Dennis, Wilma, and Irma have all impacted the state as a major hurricane.

Hurricane George – The 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane

On September 17, 1947, Hurricane George struck metropolitan Miami as a Category 4. It is the 4th strongest hurricane to strike the United States with rainfall measuring up to 10.12 inches. This produced significant flooding, which nearly caused Lake Okeechobee to overflow.
 

• Hurricane George affected many counties throughout Florida, ranging from the South Florida region to the Panhandle.
• Along the coast, beaches were eroded and beachfront properties were greatly damaged by heavy surf.
• Coastal highways were washed out and piles of sand drifts formed on nearby grounds.
• Overall, in excess of 40,000 people moved into Red Cross shelters.
• Despite the magnitude of the storm and the resulting devastation, only 17 people lost their lives.
• Estimated damages reached $31.6 million dollars.

Hurricane Irma – 2017

On September 10th, 2017 Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida Keys as a category 4 storm. It is the costliest hurricane to strike the sunshine state since Hurricane Andrew. The hurricane caused major flooding throughout the peninsula and dropped nearly 15 inches of rainfall total during a 48-hour-period. 

• 25% of all homes in Key West were destroyed
• 73% of the state of Florida was without power due to the storm
• The total cost of Hurricane Irma is approximately $50 billion, making it the fifth costliest storm in U.S. history. 
• It’s estimated that nearly 80% of Hurricane Irma flood losses were uninsured.

Immediate Changes Post Hurricane Andrew

Updates were implemented to help protect the state, its residents, and properties including:

• Insurance Reform: Aside from the costly destruction and loss of life, one of the biggest problems that became apparent after Hurricane Andrew involved insurance. Nearly $16 billion in damages concerned insured losses. Because of the extent of damage, more than 600,000 claims were filed which resulted in 11 bankrupted companies and the loss of up to 20 percent or more of surplus by 30 others. In the end, nearly 930,000 policyholders were left holding the bag and some of the larger insurance companies opted to limit the coverage they offered Florida residents.

  This brought about widespread reforms by Florida policymakers that included the creation of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (CAT Fund) and what was to eventually become Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Both of these entities were designed to provide insurance coverage to residents who were unable to obtain private-market coverage, and to serve as a back-up for insurance companies that offer coverage in Florida.

• Construction Standard Updates: Construction standards also saw a massive re-vamping after Hurricane Andrew when careless construction and “drive-by inspections” were discovered. In 2002, Florida adopted its first statewide code – the Florida Building Code, which required more stringent building standards including the ability of new structures to withstand hurricane force winds and the installation of shutters or impact-resistant glass to protect doors and windows. The results of these new standards became apparent when back-to-back hurricanes, Frances and Jeanne, struck the Treasure Coast in 2004.

  Further strengthening of 2002’s Florida Building Code has included an increase in the wind speeds that new buildings must be able to withstand.

• Emergency Management Response: Emergency response was also overhauled after many people arrived to help during recovery efforts after Andrew, but those efforts were hampered because there was little authority designating who was responsible for what.

  A reciprocal aid agreement has been established between Florida and vendors charged with providing emergency supplies to ensure a rapid distribution. Likewise, the Orlando area now has a large staging ground for stocked supplies. A bonus to this overhaul is that supplies en route to disaster areas can now be tracked allowing for a better time estimate as to when the supplies will be available to affected residents.

• Evacuation Procedure: Evacuation protocols have also been set up to ensure that any and all evacuations run smoothly and that coordination between the different evacuation route counties is not hampered. This includes the distribution of gasoline to gas stations along the route to ensure they are able to receive their maximum amount of gas supplies.

  These procedures also include reverse-flow traffic patterns, as needed, on major highways during evacuations to help avoid the gridlock that can, and has occurred in the past. Training operations are done yearly to ensure that if they are used, they are used effectively.