34 — 46

lornajarrettblanchard September 11, 1961

— 46 Blanchard tally from State breakouts below.
— 5 Kansas
— 6 Louisiana
— 1 Missouri
–34 Texas
— 46 Dunn and Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised). 1964, p. 345.
— 5 Kansas
— 6 Louisiana
— 1 Missouri
–34 Texas
— 46 Hebert/Jarrell/Mayfield. The Deadliest, Costliest…[US] Hurricanes… 1993, p. 80.
— 46 NWS, Corpus Christi, TX, Weather Forecast Office. Hurricane Carla – 50th Anniversary.
— 46 Rappaport, Fernandez-Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones…, 1995.
— 46 Stewart, R. “Carla took 11 members of one family.” Houston Chronicle digital, 2-21-2005.
— 45 Ludlum. The American Weather Book, 1982, p. 189.
— 40 AP. “Carla Toll Rises as More Dead, Damage Found.” San Antonio Express, TX. 9-15-1961, p. 1.
— 5 Kansas
— 5 Louisiana
— 2 Missouri
–28 Texas
–>40 NWS WFO Houston/Galveston, TX. One Hundred Years…[SE TX]Weather (1900-2000)

Kansas ( 5)
–5 Dunn and Miller 1964, 345.
–5 Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 3, No. 9, September 1961, p. 99.
–1 Fort Scott. Drowning; car swept from road into tributary of Marmaton Riv. ; Edward Daley.
–4 Waverly area. Rain-swollen creek washed out highway bridge; car plunged into the creek.

Louisiana ( 6)
–6 Dunn and Miller 1964, 345.
–5 Hodge, Jackson Co. Tornado, Sep 12. Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes, 1993, pp. 1038-39.
–1 Calvin Anderson, 4 months, brother of Craig Anderson, Jonesboro area.
–1 Craig Anderson, 3, Jonesboro area.
–1 Ora Cage, 38, Jonesboro area.
–1 Sam Rushing, 63, Jonesboro area.
–1 Kaplan, Sep 10. “…approaching hurricane…” spawned tornado. Nancy Ann Simon, 4 wks.
–? Notes no report from Louisiana.

Missouri ( 1)
–1 Dunn and Miller 1964, 345.
–1 Boonville area. Bob Coy, about 55; heart attack while driving his hogs to higher ground.
–0 None reported. Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 3, No. 9, September 1961, p. 101.

Texas (34) Though our tally comes to 33-36, depending on Clute, we accept 34 deaths.
–34 Dunn and Miller 1964, 345.
–34 Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, p. 50.
–34 Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 3, No. 9, September 1961, p. 103.
–8 Galveston tornado.
–33 Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below – twenty three named.
–30 Associated Press. “Texas Carla Toll Reaches 30.” San Antonio Light, TX, 9-16-1961, p. 1.
Breakout of Texas fatalities by locality, where noted.
–11 Bastrop Bayou near Angleton/Freeport, Sep 11. Dunn family when house was demolished.
R. W. “Shorty” Dunn, father, found in a tree.
Virginia Mae Dunn, 48, wife of R. W. Dunn.
Walter Dunn, 10
Wallace Dunn, 9
Carl Dunn, 5.
Viola Eunice Dunn, 4.
John J. Drvan, brother of Virginia Mae Dunn.
Mabel Drvar, 45, wife of John J Drvar.
Floyd Ham, 14.
Ted Ham, 15
Bobby Joe Ham, 11.
— 1 Bay City. Electrocution (Joe Ramirez, 65 ). NHC, NOAA. “Storm Wallets…1961.”
— 1 Bay City. Heart attack. National Hurricane Center, NOAA. “Storm Wallets…1961.”
— 3 Clute, Brazoria County. Drownings. National Hurricane Center, NOAA. “Storm Wallets…1961.”
— 1 Freeport. Drowning. National Hurricane Center, NOAA. “Storm Wallets…1961.”
–10 Galveston. Blanchard tally from breakouts below.
–8 Tornado. Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991… 1993, p. 1038.
–1 Mrs. Marie Harris, 57.
–1 Mrs. Ernie Miles, about 50.
–1 Mrs. J. N. Olson, 62.
–3 Unidentified victims.
–1 Galveston. Heart attack; Annie Miles.
–1 Clarence West, 37, of Houston, drowned trying to swim to mainland from Galveston.
— 3 Houston. Electrocutions. National Hurricane Center, NOAA. “Storm Wallets…1961.”
–1 Mrs. Ollie Childers, about 75, when she stepped on a downed power line, Sep 13.
–1 Able Threeton, 58, stepped on broken electric line.
–1 Drowning. Unidentified boy.
— 1 Midfield, 16M from El Campo. Electrocution; lineman Ernest Kilgore, 32, repairing line.
— 1 Mont Belvieu, Chambers County.
— 2 Olivia, near Port Lavaca. Drownings. Jose Salinas, 55, and his son Domingo, 17.
— 2 Wallisville, near Anahuac. Drowning. National Hurricane Center, NOAA. “Storm Wallets…1961.”

Narrative Information

Dunn and Miller: “Carla was one of the largest, most intense and destructive hurricanes ever to strike the Gulf Coast. At one time gale or stronger winds were prevailing over more than two-thirds of the Gulf of Mexico. Sustained hurricane force winds were reported from Corpus Christi to Galveston with hurricane gusts along almost the entire length of the Texas coast. High tides began affecting the upper Texas Coast on September 8, and waves and tides continued to batter the area with ever increasing fury until the center moved inland three days later. Highest waves were 16.6 feet MSL at Port Lavaca, 14.5 feet at Port O’Connor, 15.2 feet at Matagorda and 14.8 feet on the upper Houston ship channel. A high waterline varying from 15.7 to 22.0 feet was established from the debris near the head of Lavaca Bay. The unusually slow movement of the storm of 6 to 10 mph resulted in exceptionally prolonged hurricane conditions. “Peak gusts of 175 mph were estimated at Port Lavaca…” (Dunn and Miller 1964, pp. 344-345)

“Although the hurricane eye was never closer to Galveston than 120 miles, the maximum wind there was 80 mph with peak gusts to 112 mph. Tides at Galveston were 9.3 feet and 11.0 feet at Texas City. Between 2:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on September 12, a series of five tornadoes occurred in the Galveston area. Two of the tornadoes were very destructive – eight persons were killed and forty-nine injured. About 40 per cent of the total hurricane damage on Galveston Island was caused by the tornadoes. The loss of life from the tornadoes might have been much heavier if there had not been such a complete evacuation. Altogether eight tornadoes were associated with Carla in Texas and ten in Louisiana.

“Total damage in Texas was estimated as at least $300,000,000, with approximately two-thirds of the total for property damage and one-third for crop damage; the U.S. Engineers, however, estimated the damage as more than $400,000,000. Fatalities numbered thirty-four in Texas, six in Louisiana, five in Kansas, and one in Missouri; persons injured in Texas totaled 465. Building destruction was itemized: 1,915 homes, 568 farm buildings, and 415 other buildings, with 7, 398 homes, 1,382 farm buildings and 1,219 other buildings receiving major damage.” (Dunn and Miller 1964, pp. 344-345.)

Ludlum: “Hurricane Carla battered central Texas Coast; 17.62 in…rainfall; 45 deaths; $300 million damage.” (Ludlum 1982, p. 189.)

National Weather Service, Corpus Christi Weather Forecast Office:

“Storm Strength

“Although fifty years have passed, no other hurricane has made landfall in Texas with the intensity of Hurricane Carla since. Carla was the most intense hurricane to make landfall on the Texas coast in the 20th century and second in recorded history only to the Indianola hurricane of 1886. Carla was the last of 6 hurricanes to make landfall on the Texas coast as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir scale, with sustained winds stronger than 130 mph, in the 20th century. Carla ranks as the 9th most intense hurricane to affect the United States since 1851.

“Storm History

“Carla began as a tropical depression in the southwest Caribbean Sea on September 3rd, 1961. It became a tropical storm off the coast of Honduras on the 5th and quickly gained hurricane strength as it moved north to east of the Yucatan peninsula on the 6th. After skimming the Yucatan peninsula, Carla moved northwest and strengthened to a large major hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico on the evening of the 7th. The winds increased to around 175 mph early on the morning of the 11th making Carla a Category 5 hurricane. Carla weakened slightly as it made a loop off the coast from Port O’Connor. Carla made landfall on the afternoon of the 11th on the northeast part of Matagorda Island as a strong Category 4 hurricane with a minimum central pressure of 931 millibars, or 27.49 inches of mercury, and sustained winds of 145 mph. The eye of Carla moved across Port O’Connor and Port Lavaca and then inland just east of Victoria. Carla weakened to a tropical storm on the morning of the 12th just east of Austin.

“Hurricane watches were issued for the entire Texas coast on the 8th of September and warnings were issued on the 9th all along the Texas coast. The warnings prompted a large scale evacuation of the islands and low lying coastal areas of Texas into southwest Louisiana, which had been devastated by Hurricane Audrey in June of 1957. The evacuation of a half of a million people was determined to be the largest evacuation in United States history up to that time. Most assuredly, this impacted the number of fatalities associated with this dangerous hurricane with 46 people killed and 465 injured. In comparison, the storm surge from Hurricane Audrey led to 416 fatalities in Louisiana and extreme southeast Texas.

“Winds and Storm Surge

“Carla was an extremely large hurricane with devastating effects from the winds and storm surge for the Middle and Upper Texas coast. Hurricane force gusts were recorded along the Texas coast from Port Mansfield to Galveston. The highest sustained wind speeds reported were 115 mph at Matagorda, 110 mph at Victoria, and 88 mph at Galveston. Extreme peak wind gusts were estimated to be near 170 mph at Port Lavaca as the wind equipment blew away after reading 153 mph. Wind gusts were estimated to be around 150 mph at Victoria, Port Aransas, and Edna. Wind gusts of 80 to 90 mph were reported from Rockport to Corpus Christi.

“Carla’s storm surge devastated the Texas coast, rising to 10 feet above normal along a 300 mile swath from Port Aransas to Sabine Pass. The higher tides reached the Upper Texas coast by the 8th as the large hurricane approached with storm surge eventually reaching 10 to 15 feet around Galveston Bay. Tides of 15 to 17 feet above mean sea level inundated Port O’Connor, Indianola, Palacios and Matagorda. The extreme tides inundated downtown Port Lavaca with 2 feet of flood water and displaced fishing boats and tug boats on Highway 35. With the slow movement of Carla, the hurricane pushed a storm surge of 22 feet above mean seal level at the head of Lavaca Bay in Port Lavaca. This is the highest storm surge in Texas hurricane history. Total inundation of the Texas coastline was around 1.7 million acres with the storm surge reaching 10 miles inland in places.

“Property Damage

“Total damage in Texas was two-thirds from property losses and one-third from crop losses. Most of the crop losses were due to unharvested rice and to a lesser degree for cotton. Estimated total damage exceeded $2.36 billion dollars in reference to 2010 dollar value. Property damage for the coastal communities of the Middle and Upper Texas was catastrophic. Port O’Connor, Palacios, and Indianola were leveled by the storm surge along with the devastating winds. Matagorda Island Air Force Base was almost completely destroyed. In Texas, 1,915 homes and 983 businesses, farm buildings, and other buildings were completely destroyed. Major damage occurred to 7,398 homes and 2,601 businesses, farm buildings, and other buildings. Minor damage was reported to 43,325 homes and 13,506 businesses, farm buildings and other buildings.

“Tornadoes:

“Carla spawned 18 tornadoes with 10 in Louisiana and 8 in Texas. There were 2 tornadoes in Galveston with one a devastating F4 tornado killing 8 people. Other cities in Texas affected by tornadoes were Bay City, Channelview, Hardin, Jacksonville, and two other small communities in East Texas.” (National Weather Service, Corpus Christi, TX, Weather Forecast Office. Hurricane Carla – 50th Anniversary.)

National Weather Service, Houston Weather Forecast Office:

“Hurricane Carla – September 11, 1961

• A strong category 4 hurricane which made landfall near Port O’Connor
• Sustained winds near 125 mph with gusts estimated near 175 mph
• Carla produced a 22 foot storm surge in Matagorda Bay
• Over 40 persons killed
• Carla spawned a strong F3 tornado which destroyed parts of downtown Galveston and killed over a dozen persons.”

(National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Houston/Galveston, TX. One Hundred Years of Southeast Texas Weather (1900-2000). Dickinson, TX: NWS, 12-20-2009 modification.)

Roth: “September 11-13th, 1961 (Carla): No history of Texas hurricanes would be complete without a thorough mention of Carla, which made landfall near Port Lavaca. Carla was among the largest hurricanes of historical record. It stalled offshore, making a fairly large loop off Pass Cavallo, before finally striking the coast. The storm produced many tornadoes, gusts estimated to 175 mph, torrential rains, and a 22 foot storm surge at Port O’Connor. Hurricane force gusts were seen along nearly the entire coast of Texas. Winds gusted to 86 mph at Corpus Christi.

“Her path of devastation inland extended from Victoria to Dallas. The death toll was limited to 34, which was attributed in part to what was the largest peace time evacuation of an area in history, up until that time. A quarter million people fled the Middle and Upper Texas coasts to move inland to safety. Evacuation was slow however; it took four hours to get from Port Arthur to Beaumont on U.S. 69.

“Twenty-six tornadoes were spawned, one of which tore apart 120 buildings and killed six in Galveston. Structures outside the seawall were severely damaged by the storm surge. The Ursuline Convent, which was the oldest educational institution in Galveston, was destroyed by Carla (Guthrie). Texas City saw 90% of its homes flooded. Surfside, near Freeport, saw extensive damage. The trail of destruction extended down the coast to Port Isabel, where 4-5 foot storm surges were seen. Port O’Connor was 75% wiped out. The Matagorda Island Air Force Base was almost erased from existence. Damage to the air force base was $18 million.

“In Jefferson County, 180 miles from the landfalling storm, $17.5 million in damage occurred, with $14 million of it water damage. Highway 87 was totally destroyed between Sabine Pass and High Island, but later rebuilt. Three to four feet of water flooded Port Arthur. The only injuries reported there were due to snake bites. Rain totaled 19 inches at Votan. The 5.15” of rain that fell in Victoria set a rainfall record for the 11th. A vast amount of coastline was inundated, which totaled 1.7 million acres. Carla’s area of destruction extended well to the east into Louisiana. Total damages were estimated at $408 million for Texas.” (Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, pp. 50-51.)

Roth: “The storm produced many tornadoes…torrential rains, and a 22 foot storm surge at Port O’Connor. Hurricane force gusts were seen along almost the entire Texas Coast. Winds gusted to 86 mph at Corpus Christi. Her path of devastation inland extended from Victoria to Dallas. The death toll of only 34 in Texas can be attributed in part to what was the largest peace time evacuation of an area in history. A quarter million people fled the middle and upper Texas coasts to move inland to safety.” (Roth 2003)

Sources

Associated Press. “Brawling Carla Rages Inland.” Daily Texan, Austin. 9-12-1961, p. 16. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/austin-daily-texan-sep-12-1961-p-32/

Associated Press. “Carla Toll Rises as More Dead, Damage Found.” San Antonio Express, TX. 9-15-1961, p1. Accessed 9-28-2022: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-express-sep-15-1961-p-1/

Associated Press. “CP&L Lineman Is Electrocuted.” Waco News-Tribune, TX. 9-14-1961, p. 12. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/waco-news-tribune-sep-14-1961-p-12/

Associated Press. “…Hurricane Carla…Hazards To Health Slow Return Home.” Corsicana Daily Sun, TX. 9-13-1961, p. 1. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/corsicana-daily-sun-sep-13-1961-p-1/

Associated Press. “New Tragedies Unfold Along Ravaged Coast.” Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, TX. 9-14-1961, p. 1. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lubbock-avalanche-journal-sep-14-1961-p-47/

Associated Press. “Texas Carla Toll Reaches 30.” San Antonio Light, TX, 9-16-1961, p. 1. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-light-sep-16-1961-p-1/

Associated Press. “Thousands Forced To Flee Homes in Midwest Floods.” Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, TX. 9-14-1961, p. 1. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lubbock-avalanche-journal-sep-14-1961-p-47/

Associated Press. “Tornado Victim Identified.” Corpus Christi Times, TX. 9-12-1961, p. 1. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/corpus-christi-times-sep-12-1961-p-1/

Associated Press. “Twister in Galveston Kills Five.” Kerrville Daily Times, TX. 9-12-1961, p. 1. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/kerrville-daily-times-sep-12-1961-p-1/

Dunn, Gordon E. and Banner I. Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition). Baton Rouge LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1964, 377 pages.

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

Hebert, Paul J., J.D. Jarrell, Max Mayfield. The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Hurricanes of This Century (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS-NHC-31). Miami, FL: National Hurricane Center, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Feb 1993, 41 pages.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. “Death Toll Mounts as Twisters Follow Storm.” 9-13-1961, 10-A. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lubbock-avalanche-journal-sep-13-1961-p-10/

Ludlum, David M. The American Weather Book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1982.

National Hurricane Center, NOAA. “Storm Wallets…1961.” Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1961/carla/preloc/pshaus.gif

National Weather Service, Corpus Christi, TX, Weather Forecast Office. Hurricane Carla – 50th Anniversary. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://www.weather.gov/crp/hurricanecarla

National Weather Service, Houston/Galveston, TX Weather Forecast Office. One Hundred Years of Southeast Texas Weather (1900-2000). Dickinson, TX: NWS, 12-20-2009 modification. Accessed 6-8-2012 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/hgx/?n=climate_holidays_hundred

Rappaport, Edward N. and Jose Fernandez-Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1994 (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS NHC-47). Coral Gables, FL: National Hurricane Center, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, January 1995, 42 pages. Accessed 8-20-2017 at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/NWS-NHC-1995-47.pdf

Roth, David (National Weather Service). Texas Hurricane History. Camp Springs, MD: NWS. 1-17-2010 update. Accessed 11-22-2017 at: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf
Also accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://www.weather.gov/media/lch/events/txhurricanehistory.pdf

Stewart, Richard. “Carla took 11 members of one family.” Houston Chronicle digital, 2-21-2005. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Carla-took-11-members-of-one-family-1479236.php

United Press International. “Carla Death Toll Still Climbs Today.” Daily-Light, Waxahachie, TX. 9-15-1961, p. 1. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/waxahachie-daily-light-sep-15-1961-p-1/

United Press International. “Kansas City Hit by Flash Flood; Texas Rivers and Streams Overflow.” El Paso Herald, TX. 9-13-1961, p. 2. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/el-paso-herald-post-sep-13-1961-p-2/

Waco News-Tribune, TX. “Carla (continued from page 1).” 9-14-1961, p. 12A. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/waco-news-tribune-sep-14-1961-p-12/

Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 3, No. 9, September 1961. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 9-28-2022 at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-2C6FEE65-83E8-4F3F-85EE-A31D343BA419.pdf