1999 — Sep 15-17, Hurricane Floyd, Mid Atlantic, Northeast, particularly NC –88-89
International (Grand Bahama Island) (1)
–1 Direct. Pasch, et al. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999
United States: (86-87)
–88-89 Blanchard tally based on State and local breakouts below.[1]
–>77 NCDC. Climate-Watch, Sep. 1999. “Hurricane Floyd.” 12-17-1999, updated 3-2-2000.[2]
–~69 AP. “Flood Victims Return to Mud-Covered Homes.” Daily Sentinel, Sitka, AK. 9-24-1999.
— 68 Rubillo. Hurricane Destruction in South Carolina: Hell and High Water. 2006, p. 12.
— 67 Associated Press. “Misery in N.C.” Altoona Mirror, PA, 9 -23-1999, p. C1.
— 56 Gelber, Ben. The Pennsylvania Weather Book. 2002, p. 240.
— 56 History.com. This Day in History, Disaster, September 14, 1999. Millions Flee…Floyd.
— 56 Jarrell et al. The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Hurricanes… 2001.
— 56 Direct. NWS. Hurricane Floyd Floods of September 1999. Service Assessment. 2000, p. 1.
— 56 Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999.
CT (1); DE (2); NJ (6); NY (2); NC (35); PA (6); VT (1); VA (3)
Connecticut ( 1)
— 1 Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999.
— 1 New Haven Co., Meriden, Quinnipiac River, Sep 17. Drowning while boating; male, 34.[3]
Delaware ( 2)
— 2 Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999.
— 2 Red Lion, New Castle County, Sep 16. Drownings; two girls, 11, 12, swept into culvert.[4]
Maryland ( 1)
–1 Princes Anne, Somerset Co., Sep 16. Heart attack after moving mats at shelter; man, 57.[5]
Massachusetts ( 1)
— 1 NCDC. Climate-Watch, Sep. 1999. “Hurricane Floyd.” 12-17-1999, updated 3-2-2000.[6]
New Jersey ( 6)
— 6 Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999.
— 2 Bergen County, Sep 16. Drownings in or near cars; male, 53, and male, 27.[7]
— 1 Passaic County, Sep 16. Drowning in home; male, 82.[8]
— 1 Salem County, Salem River near Pennsville Twp., Sep 16. Drowning (direct), male 40.[9]
— 2 Somerset County, Bound Brook, Sep 16. Drowning; woman, 85, and disabled son,[10] 58.[11]
New York ( 2)
— 2 Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999.
— 2 NCDC. Climate-Watch, Sep. 1999. “Hurricane Floyd.” 12-17-1999, updated 3-2-2000.
— 1 Dutchess Co., Dover, Sep 16. Drowning, swept away, creek overran driveway; female, 9.[12]
— 1 Rockland County, Sep 16. Drowning, car disabled by rising water; male, 53.[13]
North Carolina (53)
–53 Blanchard tally from county breakouts below.
–53 CDC. “Morbidity and Mortality Associated with Hurricane Floyd [NC, Sep-Oct] 1999.”[14]
–52 Direct — 1 Indirect (hypothermia)
–24 Drowning; vehicular-related.
— 7 Drowning; during boat transport
–52 Barnes, Jay. North Carolina’s Hurricane History (Third Edition). 2001, p. 256.[15]
–52 North Carolina Dept. of Public Safety. Hurricane History. “1999 Hurricane Season.”
–52 RENCI at East Carolina University. Hurricane Floyd, 1999 (website). 3-23-2012 update.
–51 NCDC. Climate-Watch, Sep. 1999. “Hurricane Floyd.” 12-17-1999, updated 3-2-2000.
— 49 AP (Cherfils). “A sluggish Hurricane Irene…” Daily News, Estherville, IA. 10-16-1999, 6
— 49 AP. “Hurricane soaks Floyd-ravaged areas.” The Capital, Annapolis, MD, 10-18-1999, A2
–~48 Associated Press. “Struggle not over for N.C.” Aiken Standard, SC, 10-2-1999, 4A.
— 47 AP. “Floodwaters recede, leaving people’s lives a mess.” WI State Journal, 9-26-1999, 2A.
–~42 AP. “Flood Victims Return to Mud-Covered Homes.” Daily Sentinel, Sitka, AK. 9-24-1999.
— 41 Rubillo. Hurricane Destruction in South Carolina: Hell and High Water. 2006, p. 12.
–~40 Associated Press. “Misery in N.C.” Altoona Mirror, PA, 9 -23-1999, p. C1.
— 39 Blanchard tally from County breakouts below.
— 35 Direct. Cline. Surface-Based Rain, Wind…in Tropical Cyclones Over [NC] Since 1989.
— 35 Direct. National Weather Service, Raleigh, NC. “Hurricane Floyd, September 1999.”
— 35 Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999.
— 23 Direct. NCDC. Storm Events Database. Search Results for all (County), NC Sep 15-16.
Breakout by NC County:
— 1 Bertie County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning (direct) near vehicle, male (Jefferson),[16] 43.[17]
— 1 Bertie Co., date not noted. Heart attack during evacuation from nursing home, female, 96.[18]
— 1 Bertie/Chowan Co. Sep 17. Probable heart attack bailing water out of car; male, 38.[19]
— 1 Brunswick County, Sep 22. Trauma, NCNG driving on beach flipped Humvee; male, 23.[20]
— ? Columbus County, Sep 15-16. Flash flood; male, 65. (NCDC. Flash Flood. Columbus.)[21]
— 1 Columbus County, Sep 16. Natural, car blocked by tree and water; male (Jenkins), 65.[22]
— 1 Craven County, Sep 17. Drowning; drove into floodwater (direct); male (Chandler), 76.[23]
— 1 Craven County, Sep 22. Drowning (direct); drove boat down street; male (Nichols), 55.[24]
— 1 Duplin County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Piner)[25], 43.[26]
— 1 Duplin Co., Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Summerlin?)[27], 63.[28]
— 1 Duplin County, Sep 17. Freshwater drowning (direct); male (Ransom Cole),[29] 70.[30]
— 1 Edgecombe Co., Sep 16. Drowning (direct), walking, fell into ditch; male (Brown), 75.[31]
— 1 Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat[32] (direct); female, 3.[33]
— 1 Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); female, 5.[34]
— 1 Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); female, 5.[35]
— 1 Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); male, 50 or 51.[36]
— 1 Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); female, 45.[37]
— 1 Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); female, 23/24.[38]
— 1 Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning (direct) in flooded trailer;[39] male, 51.[40]
— 1 Edgecombe/Pitt, Sep 16. Trauma; 2 vehicles collide on flooded road; female (Jones), 22.[41]
— 1 Halifax Co., Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Stokes),[42] 64 or 65.[43]
— 1 Halifax Co., Sep 15-17. Drowning (direct); vehicle washed off flooded road; female, 47.[44]
— 1 Johnston County, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Maldonado), 30.[45]
— 1 Johnston Co., Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (P. Mobley), 31.[46]
— 1 Johnston Co., Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); female (E. Mobley), 5.[47]
— 1 Jones County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning (direct); male (Wilder), 63[48] or 65.[49]
— 1 Lenoir County, Sep 15[50] or 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Gooding), 54/55.[51]
— 1 Nash County, US-64,[52] Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); female (Aldridge), 87.[53]
— 1 Nash County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning (direct); male (Richard Phillips), 40.[54]
— 1 Nash County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Westry), 46.[55]
— 1 Nash Co., US-64, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Mills),[56] 79.[57]
— 1 Nash County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle; male (Harrison), 83.[58]
— 1 Nash County, Sep 16. Pneumonia, passenger in car washed from road; female (Boyer) 54.[59]
— 1 Nash County, Sep 17. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male, 47. Rappaport, D-2.
— 1 New Hanover Co., Sep 21. Electrocution; male (Jones), 31, while repairing power lines.[60]
— 1 Orange County, Sep 16. Exposure and fall, alcohol intoxication; male (Corald Hoke), 63.[61]
— 1 Pender County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Nixon), 47.[62]
— 1 Pender County, I-40, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Paul Buco), 70 or 78.[63]
— ? Pitt County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male, 20. Rappaport, D-2.[64]
— 1 Pitt County, Sep 16 or 17. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (M. Gomez), 26.[65]
— 1 Pitt County, Sep 16 or 17. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (S. Gomez), 27.[66]
— 1 Pitt County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning near vehicle (direct); male (Russell), 43.[67]
— 1 Pitt Co., Greenville, Sep 17. Drowning (direct), walking to dormitory room;[68] male, 18.[69]
— 1 Pitt Co., Sep 23. Fall going to bathroom while power was out; male (Roger Smith), 86.[70]
— 1 Robeson Co., Sep 16. Trauma; ran vehicle off road to avoid downed tree; male, 43.[71]
— 1 Robeson Co., Sep 16. Trauma; vehicle went off road to avoid downed tree; male, 39.[72]
— 1 Robeson/Orange, Sep 20. Fire; crib burned by sib with butane lighter for light, female, 1.[73]
— 1 Sampson/Harnett, Sep 18. Trauma; passenger in car that hits fallen tree on road; male, 33.[74]
— 1 Warren County, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Lou Hendrick), 55.[75]
— 1 Warren County, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct), male (George Jones), 72.[76]
— 1 Warren/Vance, Oct 9. Trauma; father drove around barricade into washed out culvert; boy, 8.[77]
— 1 Wayne Co., Sep 16. Trauma (direct);[78] vehicular, hit tree, flooded road; male (Denning), 51.[79]
— 1 Wayne County, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); female (Cheryl Whitley), 42.[80]
— 1 Wayne Co., Sep 18. Trauma; jumped from burning building; oil lamp fire; female, 37.[81]
— 1 Wilson Co., Sep 25. Natural; collapsed in break room of city operations ctr.; male 50.[82]
— ? County not noted, Sep 15. Car hydroplaned on wet roads and crashed.[83]
Pennsylvania (~13)
–~13 NCDC. Storm Events Database. Flash Flood. Pennsylvania. 9/16-17/1999.[84]
–6 Direct — ~7 Indirect
— 13 Blanchard tally based on County breakouts below.
— 8 Gelber, Ben. The Pennsylvania Weather Book. 2002, 240.
— 6 Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999.
By Pennsylvania Counties:
–1 Chester County, East Nottingham Twp., Sep 16. Direct, tree fall onto house; woman, 53.[85]
–3 Chester Co., PA Turnpike ~Downingtown, Sep 16. Traffic accident; man, 32, wife, 34, mother, 54.[86]
–1 Delaware County, Darby Creek, Sep 16. Direct, drowning in vehicle, male, 67.[87]
–2 Lancaster County. Indirect; car hydroplanes on flooded road, down embankment into tree.[88]
–1 Montgomery Co., Norristown, Sep 16. Electrocution? Male, 61, found in flooded home basement.[89]
–1 Montgomery Co., Perkiomen Valley Park/Creek, Sep 16. Direct, drowning in vehicle; male, 49.[90]
–1 Montgomery Co., West Conshohocken. Dir., drowning, Sep 16; drove around barricade, male, 47.[91]
–1 Montgomery Co., Whitemarsh Twp., Wissahickon Creek, Sep 16. Drowning; vehicle, woman, 73.[92]
–1 Northampton County. Indirect; man loses control of car on rain-slicked road.[93]
–1 Philadelphia city/county, Fairmont Park, Sep 16. Tree fall on car stopped at light, male, 48.[94]
Rhode Island ( 1)
— 1 NCDC. Climate-Watch, Sep. 1999. “Hurricane Floyd.” 12-17-1999, updated 3-2-2000.
— 1 Rhode Island Memorial Hosp., Sep 17. Generator fails, power lost; “one person died.”[95]
South Carolina ( 1)
— 1 NCDC. Climate-Watch, Sep. 1999. “Hurricane Floyd.” 12-17-1999, updated 3-2-2000.
Vermont ( 1)
— 1 Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999.
— 1 Orange County, Randolph, Sep 17. Tree falls on mobile camper; male, 69.[96]
Virginia (5-6)
–5-6 Blanchard tally of county breakouts below, though Southampton Co. may be duplication.
— 5 AP. “Disaster Housing…” Daily News Record, Harrisonburg, VA, 10-12-1999, 24.
— 4 NCDC. Climate-Watch, Sep. 1999. “Hurricane Floyd.” 12-17-1999, updated 3-2-2000.
— 3 Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999.
Breakout by Counties:
–1 Accomack Co., ~Sep 16. Apparent heart attack after car stalled on flooded road, man, 55.[97]
–1 Fairfax County, Fair Lakes Blvd., Sep 16. Tree blows onto car (direct); female, 61.[98]
–1? Greensville County, Sep 16. Vehicular; female, 9.[99]
–1 Halifax County, Sep 16. Tree falls onto trailer (direct); female, 22.[100]
–1 Henrico County, I-95, Sep 15. Car hydroplanes on standing water, hits tree. Female, 24.[101]
–1? Southampton County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning (direct), vehicle; female, 9.[102]
Causes of Death (Direct – 59-60)
–59-60 Blanchard tally based on breakouts below, with ambiguity re Greensville Co., VA death.
— 56 Jarrell et al. The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense [US] Hurricanes… 2001.
— 56 Direct. NWS. Hurricane Floyd Floods of September 1999. Service Assessment. 2000, 1.
— 56 Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 Sept., 1999. 11-18-1999.
CT (1); DE (2); NJ (6); NY (2); NC (35); PA (6); VT (1); VA (3)
–52 NC. CDC. “Morbidity and Mortality Associated with Hurricane Floyd [NC, Sep-Oct] 1999.
–35 NC. Direct. Cline. Surface-Based Rain, Wind…Tropical Cyclones Over [NC] Since 1989.
–35 NC. Direct. National Weather Service, Raleigh, NC. “Hurricane Floyd, September 1999.”
–35 NC. Direct. Pasch. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 Sept. 1999. 11-18-1999.
–23 NC. Direct. NCDC. Storm Events Database. Search Results for all (County), NC Sep 15-16
Drowning, freshwater: (52)
–1 CT. New Haven Co., Meriden, Quinnipiac Riv., Sep 17. Drowning while boating; male, 34.[103]
–2 DE. Red Lion, New Castle Co., Sep 16. Drownings; two girls, 11, 12, swept into culvert.[104]
–2 NJ. Bergen County, Sep 16. Drownings in or near cars; male, 53, and male, 27. (NCDC)
–1 NJ. Passaic County, Sep 16. Drowning in home; male, 82. (NCDC)
–1 NJ. Salem Co., Salem Riv. ~Pennsville Twp., Sep 16. Drowning (direct), male 40. (NCDC)
–2 NJ. Somerset Co., Bound Brook, Sep 16. Drowning; woman, 85, disabled son, 58. (NCDC)
–1 NY. Dutchess Co., Dover, Sep 16. Drowning; creek overran driveway; girl, 9 swept away.
–1 NY. Rockland County, Sep 16. Drowning, car disabled by rising water; male (Fellner), 53.
–1 NC. Bertie County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning (direct) near vehicle, male (Jefferson), 43.
–? NC. Columbus County, Sep 15-16. Flash flood; male, 65. (NCDC. Flash Flood. Columbus.)
–1 NC. Craven County, Sep 17. Drowning; drove into floodwater (direct); male (Chandler), 76.
–1 NC. Craven County, Sep 22. Drowning (direct); drove boat down street; male (Nichols), 55.
–1 NC. Duplin County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Piner), 43.
–1 NC. Duplin Co., Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Summerlin?)[105], 63.
–1 NC. Duplin County, Sep 17. Freshwater drowning (direct); male (Ransom Cole), 70.
–1 NC. Edgecombe Co., Sep 16. Drowning (direct), walking, fell into ditch; male (Brown), 75.
–1 NC. Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); female, 3.
–1 NC. Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); female, 5.
–1 NC. Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); female, 5.
–1 NC. Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); male, 50/51.
–1 NC. Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); female, 45.
–1 NC. Edgecombe Co., Sep 16. Freshwater drowning, capsized boat (direct); female, 23/24.
–1 NC. Edgecombe County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning (direct) in flooded trailer; male, 51.
–1 NC. Halifax Co., Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Stokes), 64 or 65.
–1 NC. Halifax Co., Sep 15-17. Drowning; vehicle washed off flooded road; female, 47.
–1 NC. Johnston County, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Maldonado), 30.
–1 NC. Johnston Co., Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (P. Mobley), 31.
–1 NC. Johnston Co., Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); female (E. Mobley), 5.
–1 NC. Jones County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning (direct); male (Wilder), 63 or 65.
–1 NC. Lenoir County, Sep 15 or 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Gooding), 54/55.
–1 NC. Nash County, US-64, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); female (Aldridge), 87.
–1 NC. Nash County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning (direct); male (Richard Phillips), 40.
–1 NC. Nash County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Westry), 46.
–1 NC. Nash County, US-64, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Mills), 79.
–1 NC. Nash County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle; male (Harrison), 83.
–1 NC. Nash County, Sep 17. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male, 47. Rappaport, D.
–1 NC. Pender County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Nixon), 47.
–1 NC. Pender County, I-40, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Paul Buco), 70 or 78.
–? NC. Pitt Co., Sep 16. Freshwater drowning in vehicle (direct); male, 20. Rappaport, D-2.[106]
–1 NC. Pitt County, Sep 16 or 17. Drowning in vehicle (direct); male (M. Gomez), 26.
–1 NC. Pitt County, Sep 16 or 17. Drowning in vehicle (direct); male (S. Gomez), 27.
–1 NC. Pitt County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning near vehicle (direct); male (Russell), 43.
–1 NC. Pitt Co., Greenville, Sep 17. Drowning, walking to dormitory room;[107] male (Child), 18.
–1 NC. Warren Co., Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); male (Lou Hendrick), 55. NCDPS
–1 NC. Warren County, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct), male (George Jones), 72. NCDPS
–1 NC. Wayne County, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle (direct); female (Cheryl Whitley), 42.
–1 PA. Delaware County, Darby Creek, Sep 16. Direct, drowning in vehicle, male, 67. (NCDC)
–1 PA. Montgomery Co., Perkiomen Valley Park/Creek, Sep 16. Drowning in vehicle; male, 49
–1 PA. Montgomery Co., West Conshohocken. Drowning, Sep 16; drove around barricade, male, 47.[108]
–1 PA. Montgomery Co., Whitemarsh Twp., Wissahickon Creek, Sep 16. Vehicle drowning; woman, 73.[109]
–1 VA. Southampton County, Sep 16. Freshwater drowning (direct), vehicle; female, 9.
Tree Falls: ( 5)
–1 PA. Chester County, East Nottingham Twp., Sep 16. Direct, tree fall onto house; woman, 53.
–1 PA. Philadelphia city/co., Fairmont Park, Sep 16. Tree fall on car stopped at light, male, 48.
–1 VT. Orange County, Randolph, Sep 17. Tree falls on mobile camper (direct); male, 69.
–1 VA. Fairfax County, Fair Lakes Blvd., Sep 16. Tree blows onto car (direct); female, 61.
–1 VA. Halifax County, Sep 16. Tree falls onto trailer (direct); female, 22. (Rappaport, D-1.)
Vehicular: ( 1?)
–1? VA. Greensville County, Sep 16. Vehicular; female, 9.[110]
Vehicular, tree fall and flooded road related: ( 1)
–1 NC. Wayne Co., Sep 16. Trauma (direct);[111] vehicular, hit tree, flooded road; male (Denning), 51.
Causes of Death (Indirect — 29)
Electrocution: ( 2)
–1 NC. New Hanover Co., Sep 21. Electrocution; male (Jones), 31, while repairing power lines.
–1 PA. Montgomery Co., Norristown, Sep 16. Electrocution? Male, 61, found in flooded basement.[112]
Exposure and Fall while intoxicated: ( 1)
–1 NC. Orange Co., Sep 16. Exposure and fall, alcohol intoxication; male (Corald Hoke), 63.
Fall: ( 1)
–1 NC. Pitt County, Sep 23. Fall going to bathroom while power was out; male (R. Smith), 86.
Fire: ( 1)
–1 NC. Robeson/Orange, Sep 20. Fire; crib burned by sib with butane lighter for light, female, 1
Fire and trauma, jumped from burning building: ( 1)
–1 NC. Wayne Co., Sep 18. Trauma; jumped from burning building; oil lamp fire; female, 37.
Natural Causes: ( 8)
–1 MD. Princes Anne, Somerset Co., Sep 16. Heart attack after moving mats at shelter; man, 57
–1 NC. Bertie Co., date not noted. Heart attack during evac. from nursing home, female, 96.
–1 NC. Bertie/Chowan Co. Sep 17. Probable heart attack bailing water out of car; male, 38.
–1 NC. Columbus Co., Sep 16. Natural; car blocked by tree and water; male (Jenkins), 65.[113]
–1 NC. Nash Co., Sep 16. Pneumonia, passenger in car washed from road; female (Boyer) 54.[114]
–1 NC. Wilson Co., Sep 25. Natural; collapsed in break room of city operations ctr.; male 50.
–1 RI. Rhode Island Memorial Hosp., Sep 17. Generator fails, power lost; “one person died.”
–1 VA. Accomack Co., ~Sep 16. Apparent heart attack after car stalled on flooded road, man, 55.
Vehicular accidents: (10)
–1 NC. Brunswick Co., Sep 22. Trauma, NCNG driving on beach flipped Humvee; male, 23.
–1 NC. Edgecombe/Pitt, Sep 16. Trauma; 2 vehicles collide on flooded road; female, 22.[115]
–1 NC. Warren/Vance, Oct 9. Trauma; father drove around barricade into washed out culvert; boy, 8.
–? NC. County not noted, Sep 15. Car hydroplaned on wet roads and crashed.[116]
–3 PA. Chester Co., PA Tpke ~Downingtown, Sep 16. Traffic accident; man, 32, wife, 34, mother, 54.
–2 PA. Lancaster County. Car hydroplanes on flooded road, down embankment into tree.
–1 PA. Northampton County. Indirect; man loses control of car on rain-slicked road.
–1 VA. Henrico County, I-95, Sep 15. Car hydroplanes on standing water, hits tree. Female, 24.
Vehicular, fallen tree related: ( 3)
–1 NC. Robeson Co., Sep 16. Trauma; ran vehicle off road to avoid downed tree; male, 43.
–1 NC. Robeson Co., Sep 16. Trauma; vehicle went off road to avoid downed tree; male, 39.[117]
–1 NC. Sampson/Harnett, Sep 18. Trauma; passenger in car that hits tree on road; male, 33.
Not Stated: ( 2)
–1 MA. NCDC. Climate-Watch, Sep. 1999. “Hurricane Floyd.” 12-17-1999/update 3-2-2000[118]
–1 SC. NCDC. Climate-Watch, Sep. 1999. “Hurricane Floyd.” 12-17-1999, updated 3-2-2000.
Gender
Male (57); Female (27); Not noted (4)
Age Range
1-9 — 8
10-19 — 3
20-29 — 9
30-39 –10
40-49 –15
50-59 –15
60-69 –10
70-79 — 7
80-89 — 5
90-99 — 1
Not noted — 5
General Narratives
History.com: “Millions of people evacuate their homes as Hurricane Floyd moves across the Atlantic Ocean on this day in 1999. Over the next several days, deaths are recorded from the Bahamas to New England due to the powerful storm.
“Floyd began as a tropical storm on September 7 and attained hurricane status three days later. By September 12, its winds had reached 140 miles per hour as the storm approached the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Floyd skirted past these islands, though, leaving relatively minor damage in its wake.
“On September 14, Floyd approached the Bahamas and looked to be on a collision course with central Florida. Walt Disney World closed its doors in preparation for the first time in its history and NASA operations at Cape Canaveral were shut down to get ready for the coming storm. In all, approximately 3 million people evacuated their homes. Meanwhile, the Bahamas were spared a direct hit and, although millions of dollars in damages were incurred, only one person was killed.
“Gaining strength over the warm waters of the Caribbean, Floyd was a Category 4 storm when it hit the Florida coast the next day. It turned out to be North Carolina that bore the brunt of Floyd, however, as it landed a direct hit on the state’s Cape Fear region. Torrential rains caused flooding that ended in the drowning deaths of 56 people and 6,000 houses were lost to the storm. Floyd brought rain and flooding with it all the way up the Eastern seaboard to Connecticut. In all, 68 people died from Hurricane Floyd. Out of deference to the destruction it caused, the National Hurricane Center retired the name “Floyd” in the spring of 2000.
“The year 1999 was a big one for hurricanes: There were five Category 4 or 5 hurricanes during the season. This may have been a symptom of global warming–scientists believe that although the phenomenon may not be increasing the number of hurricanes per season, it may be increasing their strength.” (History.com. This Day in History, September 14, 1999. “Millions Flee from Hurricane Floyd.”)
NWS, Silver Spring: “Floyd came within 110 miles of Cape Canaveral as it paralleled the Florida coast on September 15. Floyd then moved slightly east of north and increased in forward speed, coming ashore near Cape Fear, North Carolina, at 2:30 a.m. on September 16. At the time of landfall, Floyd was a Category 2 hurricane with maximum winds of 104 mph. Floyd continued to accelerate north-northeast after landfall. Its center passed over extreme eastern North Carolina and over Norfolk, Virginia. Floyd then weakened to a tropical storm and moved swiftly along the coasts of the Delmarva Peninsula and New Jersey, reaching Long Island by 8 p.m. September 16. The system was extratropical by the time it reached the coast of Maine at 8 a.m. September 17.” (NWS. Hurricane Floyd Floods of Sep 1999. Service Assessment. 2000, 5.)
NWS, Raleigh: “There were 57 deaths directly attributed to Floyd, 56 in the United States and one in Grand Bahama Island. North Carolina reported 35 deaths directly attributed to Floyd. Of the 56 deaths, 48 were due to drowning in inland, freshwater flooding. Vehicle related deaths accounted for 55 percent of casualties, and of these, about 80 percent were male. Floyd was the deadliest hurricane in the United States since Agnes of 1972. Damage estimates as a result of Floyd range around $6 billion. Portions of ten states were declared major disaster areas, from Florida north to Connecticut. Whole towns were under water; roads flooded, including portions of Interstate highways; bridges washed out; dams failed; livestock drowned; water treatment plants failed and water supplies were cut off. North Carolina alone had damage over $3 billion, with over 7000 homes destroyed, 56,000 homes damaged, 1500 people rescued from flooded areas, and more than 500,000 customers without electricity.” (National Weather Service, Raleigh, NC. Hurricane Floyd, September 1999.)
Connecticut
“Torrential record rainfall, which caused serious widespread urban, small stream, and river flooding, preceded the remnants of Hurricane Floyd, which passed over Western Suffolk County of Long Island around 8 pm and across Central Connecticut from 9 pm to 11 pm on the 16th. Death: A 34-year old man drowned around 6 pm Friday, September 17th while boating in the Quinnipiac River in Meriden. The river was cresting and the flow rate was at its’ peak when he drowned. Property Damage: Fairfield, Litchfield, and Hartford Counties were declared disaster areas. The initial cost estimates for damage to only the public sector included $1.3 million dollars for Fairfield County, $204,254 for Hartford County, and $53,000 for Litchfield County. These estimates do not account for damage in the private sector. This information was provided by the Connecticut Office of Emergency Management. The greatest property damage occurred in Danbury, along the Still River and its’ tributaries. Over 300 homes, 2 car dealerships, an elderly apartment complex, a trailer park, several roads, and a bridge were damaged in Danbury. Rainfall return frequencies in the Danbury area ranged from the 400 to 500 year event. Urban Flooding: Serious widespread flooding of low-lying and poor drainage areas resulted in the closure of many roads and basement flooding across Fairfield, New Haven, and Middlesex Counties. Stream and River Flooding: In Fairfield County, as stated above, major flooding occurred along the Still River and its’ tributaries from Brookfield to Danbury. In New Haven County, the Quinnipiac River at Wallingford was above its’ flood stage of 7 ft. from 7:20 pm on the 16th until 2 pm on the 18th. The crest stage of 9.43 ft. occurred at 5:03 pm on the 17th. Rainfall Amounts: The axis of heaviest rain was oriented from southwest to northeast and extended from central NJ northeast across the Lower Hudson Valley of Southeast NY and Southwest CT. Maximum rainfall rates from 1 to 2 inches per hour lasted for at least 3 consecutive hours at Bethel and Danbury in Fairfield County. Here are selected rainfall amounts for: Fairfield County: from 3.43 inches at Bridgeport Airport to 11.13 inches at Danbury Airport. New Haven County: from 2.54 inches at Menungatuck to 6.18 inches at Ansonia. At New Haven Airport, 4.92 inches was measured. Middlesex County: At Cockaponset, 4.47 inches was measured. New London County: from 2.32 inches at Waterford to 5.44 inches at Jewett City. Winds: Strong and gusty winds combined with torrential rain downed many trees, tree limbs, and power lines across the area. Significant power outages resulted. Most winds gusts were from 50 to 60 mph from around 5 pm on the 16th to around 3 am on the 17th.” (NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… Connecticut…New Haven…9/16/1999.)
Delaware
“Hurricane Floyd battered Delaware (especially New Castle County) on September 16th and brought with it torrential rains and damaging winds. The hurricane caused widespread flash flooding as storm totals averaged around nine inches, most of which fell in a twelve hour period from the early morning through the afternoon on the 16th. Two girls (an eleven-year-old and a twelve-year-old) drowned when they were swept into a 1,500 foot culvert in Red Lion (New Castle County) during the afternoon of the 16th. An 8-year-old girl who was with them managed to pull herself from the culvert. These were the first hurricane related deaths in the state since Hazel in 1954.
“The highest verifiable storm total was 10.58 inches in Greenwood (Sussex County). This established a new 24 hour state record. A number of other stations also broke the old state record of 7.83 inches set on June 27, 1938 including the New Castle County Airport (8.29 inches). Based on Doppler Radar storm totals estimate the heaviest rain fell across southern New Castle County. The torrential downpours associated with Hurricane Floyd exceeded the 100-year-flood return period for New Castle County as record crests were set on many rivers and streams. Hundreds of roads and bridges were closed. About 300 people were evacuated to shelters, mainly in New Castle and Sussex Counties. Two people were seriously injured. Dozens more were rescued from trapped vehicles. The combination of winds funneling into Delaware Bay and the runoff from inland waterways produced minor tidal flooding at the times of high tide in New Castle and Kent Counties. The highest wind gusts in most areas were less than 60 mph. But, the combination of the heavy rain that loosened the ground and the persistence of the strong winds uprooted hundreds of trees across the state, especially in the wooded areas of New Castle County. About 25,000 homes and businesses lost power. Power was restored by the 19th. A state of emergency was declared on the 16th and all schools were closed.
“The preliminary damage estimate was 8.42 million dollars. President Clinton declared New Castle County a disaster area….
“Light rain associated with Floyd started in the state on the 15th. The torrential rain associated with Floyd arrived just after midnight on the 16th and reached northern Delaware by 5 a.m. EDT. Floyd was still offshore south of North Carolina. Floyd made its initial landfall during the early morning hours of the 16th at the Mouth of Cape Fear or Bald Head Island in North Carolina and accelerated as it proceeded northeast. Damaging east winds arrived in Sussex County by 3 a.m. EDT almost coinciding with the torrential rain. Meanwhile a weakened Category One Floyd moved through Virginia Beach, Virginia and was back over the open Atlantic Ocean around noon on the 16th. Floyd continued to move northeast and the eye passed just east of the Virginia Capes and Fenwick Island, Delaware during the mid afternoon. Eyewitness reports stated that the western part of the eye brushed the island. By the afternoon of the 16th all the torrential rain had moved north of Floyd and ended with the passage of the hurricane (on the same latitude line). During the afternoon of the 16th all of the sustained hurricane force winds were located over the Atlantic, although damaging winds continued. Between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. EDT the torrential rain ended across the state.
“At 5 p.m. EDT Floyd was downgraded to a tropical storm as it passed about 10 miles east of Atlantic City. But in some cases (especially in New Castle County), the strongest winds associated with Floyd mixed down as cooler air behind the system moved into the region. The strong winds persisted through the evening of the 16th. Wind gusts rarely exceeded 50 mph, but all the flooding rains made it easy for trees to be knocked over. Tropical Storm Floyd made landfall again on western Fire Island in Suffolk County, New York around 8 p.m. EDT and was located near Portland, Maine at 8 a.m. EDT on the 17th.
“Floyd hit New Castle County the hardest as the preliminary damages estimates for the county reached 8 million dollars. One hundred twenty-seven homes in the state suffered minor damage, 83 were in New Castle County. All the 44 homes with major damage and 33 homes that were condemned were in New Castle County. The hardest hit community within the county was Glenville (near Stanton) along the White Clay Creek. About 100 homes were flooded with up to six feet of water. During the height of the storm forty roads and bridges were closed including sections of Delaware State Routes 1 and 9. Flooding from Floyd washed away a 200 foot stretch of roadway and embankment of the Silver Lake Bridge. The contents of the lake went down the Appoquinimink River. The road was scheduled to be reopened in Mid December. At about 730 p.m. EDT flooding along the Red Clay Creek washed out two bridges and extensively damaged three others used by the Wilmington Western Railroad (Delaware’s oldest) near Prices Corner. Miles of track, trestles and road beds suffered extensive damage estimated at 2.5 million dollars. Full service was not expected to be restored until the summer of 2000. Residents in low-lying areas in Wilmington were asked to evacuate. Flooding occurred and included the Gander Hill Prison. High winds also pulled down numerous trees in the county. One tree fell through and damaged the Center for the Creative Arts in Yorklyn. Damage in Kent County was more widely scattered.
“Delaware State Routes 6 and 9 flooded from both the combination of heavy rain and also tides near the bay. Woodland Beach was cut off from mid afternoon until 9 p.m. EDT on the 16th. The St. Jones River flooded in Dover. One house in Dover lost a 38-foot-long section of a foundation. The bridge on Delaware State Route 8 near Marydel was damaged and not reopened until the 24th. Several roads were closed around Smyrna and Clayton from the combination of flooding and downed trees. A downed tree damaged at least one house in Dover. The worst damage from Floyd in Sussex County occurred inland. Serious flooding problems were reported in Bridgeville, Greenwood and Seaford. Seventy-five percent of downtown Greenwood was submerged under four feet of water. The Seaford Apartments (the elderly) in Seaford were evacuated. The parking lot became inaccessible. In Laurel, a 12-year-old boy was swept into a drainage ditch and carried for half a mile before he was rescued and treated for hypothermia. In South Bethany (because of no dune protection) and Lewes voluntary evacuations of low-lying areas were recommended. But damage along the ocean was minimal. Some beach dune fencing was blown down and minor erosion occurred. Minor tidal flooding occurred along the bayside streets. State Routes 1, 54 and 56 had water on them during high tide. The Christina River at Coochs Bridge reached its 9 foot flood stage at 7 a.m. EDT on the 16th, crested at a RECORD BREAKING 13.9 feet at 430 p.m. EDT. The White Clay Creek at Delaware Park (Stanton) reached its 13 foot flood stage at 10 a.m. EDT on the 16th, crested at a RECORD BREAKING 17.6 feet at 9 p.m. EDT and was back within bankfull at 4 a.m. EDT on the 17th. The Red Clay Creek at Wooddale reached its 5.5 flood stage at 11 a.m. EDT on the 16th and crested at a RECORD BREAKING 13.9 feet at 7 p.m. EDT on the 16th. The Brandywine Creek at Wilmington reached its 11 foot flood stage at 4 p.m. EDT on the 16th and came within .1 of a foot of tying the record flood stage when it crested at 15.4 feet. The tide gage at Reedy Point (New Castle County) peaked at 7.5 feet above mean lower low water at 406 p.m. EDT. Minor tidal flooding starts at 7 feet above mean lower low water. Storm totals included 10.58 inches in Greenwood (Sussex County – a new state record), 9.75 inches at the Porter Reservoir (New Castle County), 9.49 inches in Newark (New Castle County), 9.18 inches in Wilmington (New Castle County), 8.84 inches in Bear (New Castle County), 8.44 inches at the Dover AFB (Kent County), 8.29 inches at the New Castle County Airport, 7.27 inches in Bridgeville (Sussex County), 6.20 inches in Milford (Sussex County) and 6.11 inches in Georgetown (Sussex County). The highest wind gusts included 64 mph at the Pilot Tower (Sussex County), 60 mph at the Delaware Bay Buoy and 46 mph at the New Castle County Airport.” (NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… Delaware…New Castle…9/17/1999.)
North Carolina
NWS: “Specifically in North Carolina, there were 35 deaths; 7000 homes destroyed; 17,000 homes uninhabitable; 56,000 homes damaged; most roads east of I-95 flooded; Tar River crests 24 feet above flood stage; over 1500 people rescued from flooded areas; over 500,000 customers without electricity at some point; 10,000 people housed in temporary shelters; much of Duplin and Greene Counties under water; severe agricultural damage throughout eastern NC; “Nothing since the Civil War has been as destructive to families here,” says H. David Bruton, the state’s Secretary of Health and Human Services….”The recovery process will be much longer than the water-going-down process”; Wilmington reports new 24-hour station rainfall record (128 year record) with 13.38 inches and over 19 inches for the event.” (National Weather Service, Raleigh, NC. Hurricane Floyd, September 1999.)
Pennsylvania
NCDC: “Hurricane Floyd battered Eastern Pennsylvania (especially Southeast sections around Philadelphia) on September 16th and brought with it torrential and in some places record breaking rains and damaging winds. The hurricane caused widespread flash flooding as storm totals averaged around six inches in the Poconos and Berks County, eight inches in the Lehigh Valley and from eight to twelve inches in the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area.
“Six people died directly from the hurricane – four drownings and two persons were hit by trees. The hurricane also indirectly contributed to the death of about seven other persons. About 40 persons were seriously injured.
“There were hundreds of rescues from creeks and trapped/submerged vehicles. Many people ignored barricades and became stranded in flood waters. About 7,000 persons were evacuated, more than half were from Delaware and Bucks Counties, the two hardest hit counties in the state.
“The Preliminary damage estimate was 60 million dollars. Damage to infrastructure was around 20 million dollars and hundreds of roads and dozens of bridges were damaged or closed. A couple of bridges in Bucks County are not expected to be reopened until 2001. About 200 houses were seriously damaged or destroyed, another 1,000 were damaged but still inhabitable. Over 10,000 homes were flooded. Over 500 apartments were also damaged as were over 100 businesses. The flooding affected fourteen key regional rail service lines around Philadelphia, many were closed and/or damaged. About 501,000 homes and businesses lost power – 412,000 in the PECO Service area in Southeast Pennsylvania, the second worst outage in the company’s history. School children were dismissed early. Sewage treatment plants were so overwhelmed with runoff that many spewed raw sewage into the streams and rivers.
“The first directly related hurricane death occurred in East Nottingham Township in Chester County. A 53-year-old woman was crushed when a tree fell through her house. In Montgomery County three persons drowned in their vehicles when they attempted to drive across flooded roadways. One drove around barricades. A 49-year-old male was found inside his vehicle in the Perkiomen Creek in Perkiomen Valley Park. His disabled vehicle apparently was swept into the creek. A 73-year-old woman was found inside her vehicle in the Wissahickon Creek in Whitemarsh Township. Her vehicle was swept off the road and became pinned against a tree along the banks of the creek. A 47-year-old man in West Conshohocken drowned after he drove around barricades and became stuck in flood waters. His father who was a passenger in the car escaped. In Delaware County, a 67-year-old man drowned in Darby Borough while delivering pizzas. His van was caught in the swirling waters of the Darby Creek. In Philadelphia, a 48-year-old man was crushed by a fallen tree as he was waiting for a green light in Fairmount Park. The torrential rain associated with Floyd contributed to the death of a family (3 persons) on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Chester County and a 44 year-old man in Upper Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County. Two other men in Montgomery County (a 61-year-old and a 51-year-old) suffered heart attacks and died while trying to remove water from his basement and while being evacuated. A third (67-year-old) man died of a heart attack in Chester County (West Whiteland Township) while trying to push his vehicle from flood waters on Pennsylvania State Route 100.
“The highest verifiable storm total was 12.13 inches in Marcus Hook (Delaware County). Philadelphia Int. Airport not only set a new daily precipitation record of 6.63 inches, but also a new 24 hour record of 6.77 inches. Based on SKYWARN Spotter reports and Doppler Radar precipitation estimates, the area of heaviest precipitation coincided near the “fall line” in SE PA. The fall line is the boundary between the coastal plain and the Piedmont and represents the first significant rise of the land from near sea level. The onshore flow being lifted over this geographic feature dumped the heaviest rain around this area and fell across northern Delaware and Philadelphia Counties and Lower Montgomery and Bucks Counties. The torrential downpours associated with Hurricane Floyd exceeded the 100-year-flood return period in locations in and around the “fall line” and several rivers and streams either set record or had their second highest crests on record. The combination of winds funneling up Delaware Bay and the river and the record runoff from inland waterways produced moderate tidal flooding at the times of high tide in Delaware, Philadelphia and Bucks Counties. Evacuations occurred in low-lying areas near the river. The evening (16th) high tide also slowed the discharge of streams into the Delaware. The highest wind gusts in most areas were less than 60 mph. But, the combination of the heavy rain that loosened the ground and the persistence of the strong winds uprooted hundreds of trees. Governor Tom Ridge declared a disaster emergency on the 16th. President Clinton declared Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties a disaster area….
“Floyd hit Bucks County the hardest, especially in the Neshaminy Creek Basin. The Neshaminy Creek had its second highest crest on record only surpassed by Hurricanes Connie and Diane in 1955. About 2,000 people were evacuated and numerous rescues occurred. In Buckingham Township, 11 school children and the bus driver were rescued after being stranded in the Mill Creek. Twenty-nine homes were destroyed, 80 other were damaged or uninhabitable and 304 others were damaged but still inhabitable. Thirty-two businesses were damaged or destroyed, twelve public buildings or pieces of equipment were destroyed and eighteen public parks were damaged. Flooding was extensive along the Neshaminy Basin from Warrington Township to Bristol Township. In Middletown Township homes along Bridle Drive and Periwinkle Avenue were severely flooded. One house was swept 10 feet off its foundation. Several underground heating oil tanks erupted. In Northampton Township, every bridge over the Neshaminy Creek was closed. Many cars became stranded after driving around barricades. Persons were rescued from car tops. The Langhorne Players Building was destroyed. In Warrington Township five homes along the Little Neshaminy Creek were deemed uninhabitable. The second hard hit area was in townships along the Delaware River as the evening high tide slowed the discharge of streams into the river. Evacuations occurred along the Delaware River in Yardley and Lower Makefield Township, two people were rescued from 10 feet of water. Elsewhere in the county, flooding along the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek forced the evacuation of downtown Sellersville. In Upper Southampton Township, two homes collapsed because of the heavy rain. Nearly every creek and even some lakes (Silver Lake in Bristol Borough) overflowed. High winds also took their toll. A Perkasie woman was injured trying to remove a downed tree. A fallen tree severely damaged a house in Falls Township.
“The SEPTA Regional rail service to Trenton was stopped because of downed trees on the tracks. Seventy roads were closed and included long stretches of Pennsylvania State Route 611. Seven roads were too damaged to be reopened in Buckingham, Lower Makefield and Upper Makefield Townships. They were still closed on the 25th. Pennsylvania State Route 32 in Solebury Township was expected to be closed indefinitely. Bridges were damaged or washed out in Buckingham, Durham, Solebury, Upper Makefield and Wrightstown Townships. Three bridges were destroyed and were not expected to be reopened until 2001. They are River Road (Pennsylvania State Route 32) over the Jericho Creek in Upper Makefield Township, New Hope Road over the Mill Creek in Buckingham Townships and Swamp Road over the Mill Creek in Wrightstown Township. Delaware County was the second hardest hit county in the state, but no location was hit harder than Darby Borough as flooding along the Darby and Cobb Creeks cut off and decimated the borough. Seven hundred people were evacuated, one hundred were rescued by boat, 11 were plucked from flood waters. The creek devoured residents and businesses along Mill and Walnut Streets. Twenty-five businesses were in ruin; a bank and liquor store disappeared under eight feet of flood water. A delivery van floated into six 2,000 gallon tanks containing toxic solvents, four were recovered. An ice machine was recovered half a mile downstream. The Colwyn section of Lansdowne Borough was also hard hit by the Darby Creek flooding. During the evening of the 16th about 1,000 persons were evacuated in the Crum Creek Valley in Marple, Media, Nether Providence, Ridley, Swarthmore, and Upper Providence Townships. Officials feared the record rainfall would damage the Springton Reservoir Dam’s spillway. Other evacuations occurred along the Chester Creek in Aston, Brookhaven, Chester City and Upland Borough.
“The Chester Creek in Chester had its second highest crest on record since 1971. Tidal flooding also forced the evacuation of about 500 people along the Delaware River in Marcus Hook. Flooding forced evacuations along the Marcus Hook in Upper Chichester Township and Trainer Borough. Intense flooding along Pennsylvania State Route 291 forced the evacuation of 200 people in Tinicum Township. Numerous roads were closed and several were damaged. Two were still closed on the 21st. Numerous water rescues occurred. A Lansdowne firefighter was injured while trying to rescue several children stuck in a tree. A 58-year-old woman was injured when she inadvertently lit an M80 instead of a candle. Mud reached three to four feet high in the business district of Aston Township. The high winds downed numerous trees across the county. One tree damaged a home in Media Borough. Delaware and Chester Counties bore the brunt of the power outages in PECO Energy’s service area. In Montgomery County, about 1,500 persons were evacuated. Evacuations occurred in low-lying areas of Abington, Collegeville, Conshohocken, Lower Moreland, Upper Dublin, Upper Moreland and West Norriton Townships. In Upper Dublin Township, 100 residents and 65 children were evacuated after water overflowed the top of the Loch Alsh Reservoir. Numerous water rescues occurred, some from car tops. In Conshohocken, a regional rail car became surrounded by 6 feet of flood waters from the Plymouth Creek quickly. Ten people were trapped. A rescue boat sent capsized and several passengers clung to a tree for a couple of hours before finally being rescued. About 75 persons were rescued from flood waters in Upper Dublin and Springfield Townships, many in the Fort Washington Interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. In Upper Milford Township, a man was rescued after being sucked into an over flow pipe. In Lower Providence Township, a 13-year-old girl was rescued after falling into Mine Run Creek. Ninety-two homes were deemed uninhabitable and 538 others were damaged, but uninhabitable. Ninety-one businesses and 461 apartments were damaged. Hardest hit in the county was Lower Moreland Township. About 100 apartment units in the Huntingdon Valley Condominiums were flooded and contaminated by raw sewage, heating oil and gasoline. All first floor units lost their possessions.
“The second hardest hit area was along the Schuylkill River from Upper Providence Township south to Conshohocken. In Upper Providence Township, flooding reached the first floor in Port Providence. Numerous trees were knocked down throughout the county and damaged several vehicles. In Chester County, severe and record breaking flooding was reported along the branches and main stem of the Brandywine Creek. In Modena along the West Branch of the Brandywine Creek, twenty households were evacuated, the first evacuations 31 years. Along the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek, a small residential community was leveled in East Bradford Township with losses reaching 90 percent. The flood stage was about 1 foot higher than occurred with Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Gibson’s Covered Bridge was severely damaged as trees smashed into hits roof. Farther upstream in Downingtown, twenty homes were severely damaged as fuel oil leaked from their tanks in flooded basements. Fifty other homes were severely damaged and hundreds others had minimal damage. In Phoenixville, thirty people were rescued or evacuated near the Schuylkill River. Severe flooding closed sections of Pennsylvania State Route 100 and U.S. Routes 1 and 30, especially near the Valley and Brandywine Creeks.
“Chester County was hit the hardest in the Philadelphia area with respect to wind damage. Houses were damaged by fallen trees in Kenneth Square, Oxford and West Bradford Townships. A PECO linesman was injured after a tree fell on his ladder. Both the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek at Downingtown and the main stem Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford (Delaware/Chester county line) had record crests, the previous record occurred during Hurricane Agnes in June of 1972. Chester and Delaware Counties bore the brunt of the 412,000 outages in PECO Energy’s service area. In Philadelphia, the worst flooding occurred along Cobbs Creek along the Philadelphia/Delaware County border. About 1,000 people were evacuated and 3,500 homes were flooded. Jet skis were used to rescue people. In Manayunk, flooding along the Schuylkill River covered Main Street. Many basements were flooded and one worker was rescued from a flooded basement. Four hundred people were stranded at the Radisson Hotel near the Philadelphia International Airport. Some foundations were undermined in the city’s Roxborough section. Numerous trees were knocked down, several damaged vehicles around the University of Pennsylvania. Tidal flooding along the Delaware River also caused some moderate flooding in low lying areas on the river around 7 p.m. EDT.
“In Berks County, the effects of Floyd relatively speaking diminished. Nevertheless, numerous creeks and the Schuylkill River flooded. Many basements were flooded and numerous roads were closed into the morning of the 17th due to either standing water and/or debris. About 15 people were evacuated along the Allegheny (Robeson Township) and Sacony (Kutztown Borough) Creeks. Flooding along the Stony Creek forced the evacuation of a high school at 11 a.m. EDT. Flooding was also reported along the Hay and Monocacy Creeks. Water rescues were performed in Exeter and Longswamp Townships. About 31,500 homes and businesses lost power in the county due to downed trees and wires. Power was totally restored on the 20th.
“In the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos the winds of Floyd were as much of a problem as were the heavy rains. Numerous trees were knocked down. In Northampton County, there were over 100 calls for removal of downed trees. Downed trees closed U.S. Route 209 in Carbon County. GPU Energy reported 16,325 homes and businesses lost power in the Lehigh Valley and all power was restored on the 17th. PPL reported 41,000 homes and businesses lost power in their Eastern Pennsylvania service area. The heavy rain pushed numerous streams over bankfull. The Bushkill (Northampton County), Cedar (Lehigh County), Jordan (Lehigh County), Little Lehigh (Lehigh County), Monocacy (Lehigh County), Saucon (Lehigh County) and Trout (Monroe and Lehigh County) Creeks all flooded. Flooding and road closures were reported along U.S Route 22 and Pennsylvania State Routes 309,313,512 and 611. Numerous basements were flooded and several smaller roads were washed out. A mudslide closed Pennsylvania State Route 611 in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area.
“The city of Allentown stopped drawing water from the Little Lehigh Creek because it was becoming contaminated with dirt and other substances. People were rescued from trapped cars in both Lower Macungie (Lehigh County) and Lower Saucon (Northampton County) Townships. Along the Schuylkill River in Berne (Berks County) it crested at 13.3 feet at Midnight EDT on the 17th. Flood stage is 12 feet. In Reading, it crested at 14.9 feet at 6 a.m. EDT on the 17th. Flood stage is 13 feet. In Montgomery County, in Pottstown, the Schuylkill crested at 14.4 feet at 4 a.m. EDT on the 17th. Flood stage is 13 feet. In Norristown, it crested at 22.1 feet at 3 a.m. EDT on the 17th, flood stage is 17 feet. In Philadelphia it crested at 14.1 feet at 4 a.m. EDT on the 17th. Flood stage is 11 feet. In Bucks County, the Neshaminy Creek at Langhorne crested at 21.9 feet, the second highest crest in history (Record set with Connie/Diane August 1955.). Flood stage is 9 feet. In Montgomery County, the Perkiomen Creek at Graterford crested at 16.6 feet at 9 p.m. EDT on the 16th. Flood stage is 11 feet. The East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek near Schwenksville crested at a RECORD BREAKING 14.2 feet. Flood stage is estimated at 7 feet. In Chester County, the West Branch of the Brandywine Creek in Coatesville crested at 8 feet at 9 p.m. EDT on the 16th. Flood stage is estimated at 7 feet. Farther downstream in Modena, it crested at 9.8 feet at 6 p.m. EDT on the 16th. Flood stage is 9 feet. In Downingtown, the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek crested at a RECORD BREAKING 14.7 feet at 8 p.m. EDT on the 16th. Flood stage is 7 feet. In Chadds Ford, the Brandywine Creek crested at a RECORD BREAKING 17.2 feet at 1 a.m. EDT on the 17th. Flood stage is 9 feet. Both Brandywine Creek previous records occurred during Hurricane Agnes in June of 1972. The Valley Creek in Valley Forge crested at a RECORD BREAKING 14.5 at 5 p.m. EDT on the 16th. Flood stage is estimated at 7 feet. In Delaware County, The Chester Creek in Chester crested at 19.6 feet at 6 p.m. EDT on the 16th, second highest crest on record. Flood stage is 8 feet. In Philadelphia, the Wissahickon Creek near its mouth crested at a RECORD BREAKING 10.7 feet at 945 p.m. EDT on the 16th. Several smaller streams in Southeast Pennsylvania also had RECORD BREAKING crests. They included the Tohickon Creek near Pipersville (Bucks County) at 11.8 feet, the North Branch of the Neshaminy Creek at both New Britain (Bucks County) at 4.9 feet and Chalfont (Bucks County) at 11.4 feet, the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek near Dublin (Bucks County) at 8.6 feet, Crum Creek near Newtown Square (Delaware County) at 11.9 feet, Ridley Creek at Media (Delaware County) at 15.0 feet and the Red Clay Creek near Kennett Square (Chester County) at 10.0 feet.
“Along the Delaware River itself in Philadelphia (near Washington Street), high tide crested at 9.4 feet above mean lower low water at 640 p.m. EDT on the 16th. Moderate tidal flooding along the river starts at 9.2 feet above mean lower low water. Precipitation storm totals (done from north to south with up to the four highest reported amounts per county) included: In Carbon County 7.24 inches at the County Tower, 6.95 inches in Lehighton, 6.55 inches in Beltzville and 6.12 at the F.E. Walter Dam. In Monroe County 8.01 inches in Bossardsville, 7.24 inches in Tobyhanna, 7.12 inches in East Stroudsburg and 6.50 inches in Pocono Summit. In Northampton County 9.99 inches in Bethlehem, 6.20 inches in Walnutport and 6.02 inches in Bath. In Lehigh County 7.62 inches in Allentown, 7.61 inches at the Lehigh Valley International Airport and 7.51 inches in Claussville. In Berks County 7.18 inches in Bechtelsville, 6.90 inches in Reading, 6.28 inches in Blue Marsh and 6.10 inches in Hamburg. In Bucks County 10.07 inches in Doylestown, 9.07 inches in New Hope, 8.85 inches in Furlong and 8.08 inches in Sellersville. In Montgomery County 11.26 inches in Norristown, 10.83 inches in Horsham, 9.65 inches in Bala-Cynwyd and 9.40 inches in West Conshohocken. In Chester County 10.31 inches in Phoenixville, 10.04 inches in Valley Forge and Chester Springs, 8.82 inches in Exton and 8.31 inches in Coatesville. In Delaware County, 12.13 inches in Marcus Hook, 10.64 inches in Newtown Square, 9.56 inches in Ridley Park and 8.25 inches in Chadds Ford. In Philadelphia, 8.12 inches at the Franklin Institute, 8.09 inches at Temple University, 7.11 inches at Fairmount Park and 6.77 inches at the Philadelphia International Airport. Peak wind gusts included 58 mph the Commodore Barry Bridge (Delaware County), 55 mph in Meckesville (Carbon County), 48 mph at the Philadelphia International Airport, 44 mph at the Reading Regional Airport and 43 mph at the Lehigh Valley International Airport….” (NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… Pennsylvania…Philadelphia [area]…09-16/1999 09:00 EST…09/17/1999 13:00 EST.)
Sources
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Associated Press. “Disaster Housing Aid Total Nears $2 Million.” Daily News Record, Harrisonburg, VA, 10-12-1999, p. 24. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=148243754&sterm=floyd
Associated Press. “Flood Victims Return to Mud-Covered Homes.” Daily Sentinel, Sitka, AK. 9-24-1999, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=101274636&sterm
Associated Press. “Floodwaters recede, leaving people’s lives a mess.” Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, 9-26-1999, 2A. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=162282021&sterm
Associated Press. “Hurricane soaks Floyd-ravaged areas.” The Capital, Annapolis, MD, 10-18-1999, A2. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=29735872&sterm
Associated Press. “Misery in N.C.” Altoona Mirror, PA, 9 -23-1999, p. C1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=73031195&sterm=floyd
Associated Press. “Struggle not over for N.C.” Aiken Standard, SC, 10-2-1999, 4A. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=103895832&sterm=floyd
Barnes, Jay. North Carolina’s Hurricane History (Third Edition). Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2001.
Campagna, Fred. “From the Archives: Hurricane Floyd – 1999.” Right Weather, 9-17-2012. Accessed 5-26-2014: http://rightweather.com/2012/09/from-the-archives-hurricane-floyd-1999/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (S. Beaman, et al.). “Morbidity and Mortality Associated with Hurricane Floyd – North Carolina, September-October 1999.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), Vol. 49, No. 17, 5-5-2000, pp. 369-372. Accessed 4-5-2014 at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4917a3.htm
Cline, Joel (NWS, Raleigh). Surface-Based Rain, Wind, and Pressure Fields in Tropical Cyclones Over North Carolina Since 1989 (NOAA Technical Memorandum, NWS ER-94). Raleigh, NC: National Weather Service Office, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 5-26-2014 at: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/hq/ssd/erps/tm/tm94.pdf
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. Svege v. Interstate Safety Service Inc JV. Decided 12-7-2004. Accessed 5-27-2014 at: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/pa-commonwealth-court/1489631.html
Daily Herald, Tyrone, PA (Michael Rubinkam, Associated Press). “Floyd leaves dead and missing, forces hundreds of evacuations.” 9-17-1999, p. 3. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=103446370&sterm=floyd
Daily News, Galveston County, TX (AP). “Floyd brings tragedy to N.C. family, community.” 9-20-1999, A3. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=112784601&sterm
Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Floyd (continued from p.1),” 9-17-1999, p. 10. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=148243294&sterm=floyd
Davies, Pete. Inside the Hurricane; Face to Face with Nature’s Deadliest Storms. NY: Henry Holt & Company, 2000.
Gelber, Ben. The Pennsylvania Weather Book. Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2002. Google preview at: http://books.google.com/books?id=34RKv9fMFo4C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
GenealogyBuff.com. Connecticut Statewide Obituary Collection. “Connecticut Obituary Collection – 62.” 6-27-2011. Accessed 5-27-2014 at: http://www.genealogybuff.com/ct/state/webbbs_config.pl/read/62
Gettysburg Times, PA. “Hundreds homeless in Pa. after record flood levels.” 9-18-1999, A3. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=1312591&sterm
Giambusso, David. “Ten years after Hurricane Floyd, NJ towns prepare for future hurricanes.” Star-Ledger, NJ, 9-12-2009. Accessed 4-4-2014 at: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/ten_years_after_hurricane_floy.html
History.com. This Day in History, Disaster, September 14, 1999. “Millions Flee From Hurricane Floyd.” Accessed 12-08-2008 at: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&displayDate=09/14&categoryId=disaster
Jarrell, Jerry D., Max Mayfield, Edward N. Rappaport, Christopher W. Landsea. The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Hurricanes From 1900 to 2000 (And Other Frequently Requested Hurricane Facts) (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS TPC-1). Miami, FL: NOAA NWS and Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, October 2001 Update. Accessed at: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Landsea/deadly/index.html
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Climate-Watch, September 1999. “Hurricane Floyd.” 12-17-1999, updated 3-2-2000. Accessed 4-5-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/extremes/1999/september/extremes0999.html
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… Connecticut…New Haven…9/16/1999. Accessed 4-5-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5724755
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… Delaware…New Castle…9/17/1999. Accessed 4-5-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5722643
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… New Jersey…Bergen…09/16/1999…09/17/1999. Accessed 4-5-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5724740
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… New Jersey…Passaic…09/16/1999. Accessed 4-5-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5724739
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… New Jersey…Salem…9/16//1999. Accessed 4-5-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5722765
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… North Carolina…Bertie…09/15/1999…09/19/1999. Accessed 3-19-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5720261
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… North Carolina…Columbus…09/15/1999…09/16/1999. Accessed 3-19-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5718455
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… North Carolina…Edgecombe…09/15/1999…09/16/1999. Accessed 3-19-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5724332
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… North Carolina…Halifax…09/15/1999…09/16/1999. Accessed at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5724334
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… North Carolina…Johnston…09/15/1999…09/16/1999. Accessed at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5724336
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… North Carolina…Warren…09/16/1999. Accessed 4-4-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5724343
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… Pennsylvania…Philadelphia [area]…09-16/1999 09:00 EST…09/17/1999 13:00 EST. Accessed 4-4-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5722752
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood… Virginia…Greensville…09/16/1999. Accessed 4-5-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5720138
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Event Details. High Wind… Vermont…Orange…09/16/1999 22:00…09/17/1999 15:00. Accessed 4-5-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5721374
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Search Results for all (County), NC Sep 15-16. Accessed 3-19-2014 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?beginDate_mm=09&beginDate_dd=15&beginDate_yyyy=1999&endDate_mm=09&endDate_dd=16&endDate_yyyy=1999&eventType=%28C%29+ALL&county=ALL&zone=ALL&submitbutton=Search&statefips=37%2CNORTH+CAROLINA
National Weather Service. Hurricane Floyd Floods of September 1999. Service Assessment. Silver Spring, MD. NWS, NOAA, Department of Commerce, June 2000. Accessed 4-6-2014 at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/assessments/pdfs/floyd.pdf
National Weather Service. “Hurricane Floyd, September 1999.” NWS, Raleigh, NC. Accessed at: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~nwsfo/storage/cases/19990915/
North Carolina Central University. “Happenings & Events at for June 2003.” Accessed 4-10-2014: http://nccueagles.yuku.com/topic/2895/Happenings-amp-Events-at-NCCU-For-June-2003#.U0cpgFdjWqk
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. “1999 NC Drowning Deaths” Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Email attachment from Matt Avery, Supervisor, Vital Statistics, North Carolina Department of HHS, dated 4-10-2014, to Wayne Blanchard.
North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999. Spreadsheet provided by Julia Jarema, NCDPS Communications Officer, to Wayne Blanchard, 5-23-2014, noting information was from the Office of the State Medical Examiner, 12-10-1999.
North Carolina Dept. of Public Safety. Hurricane History. “1999 Hurricane Season.” Accessed 4-5-2014: https://www.ncdps.gov/index2.cfm?a=000003,000010,000025,000185,001329,001524
Pasch, Richard J., Todd B. Kimberlain and Stacy R. Stewart. Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. National Hurricane Center, National Weather Service, NOAA, 11-18-1999. Accessed 4-4-2014 at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1999floyd.html
Philadelphia Inquirer (Marc Schogol) “Area Overflowing With Water From Storm as Flooding Forced Closings, Pa. Reached A State of Emergency.” 9-17-1999. Accessed 5-27-2014 at: http://articles.philly.com/1999-09-17/news/25487804_1_drainage-pipe-tropical-storm-rivers-and-creeks
Philadelphia Inquirer (Jacqueline R. Urgo, Michael Rothfeld and Joseph A. Gambardello). “Floyd Rages; Rain Record Set. 7 Deaths Reported, Floods Widespread.” 9-17-1999. Accessed 5-27-2014: http://articles.philly.com/1999-09-17/news/25487474_1_record-flood-levels-hurricane-floyd-rescue-residents
Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY. “2 Drown in N.Y. Floods.” 9-18-1999, A7. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=29132005&sterm
Rappaport, Dr. Edward N. Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999).” NWS, Hurricane Floyd Floods of Sept. 1999. Service Assessment.
RENCI (Renaissance Computing Institute) at East Carolina University. Hurricane Floyd, 1999 (website). 3-23-2012 update. At: http://www.ecu.edu/renci/stormstolife/Floyd/index.html
Rubillo, Tom. Hurricane Destruction in South Carolina: Hell and High Water. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2006.
Syracuse Herald Journal, NY. “Ocean roars ashore; twisters lead the way.” 9-16-1999, A8. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=27446673&sterm=floyd
The Capital, Annapolis, MD. “Principal at shelter has fatal heart attack.” 9-17-1999, A4. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=29737411&sterm
United States District Court, District of Connecticut. Alice Svege, Plaintiff, v. Mercedes Benz Credit Corp., Defendant. “Ruling on Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss {Doc. #31}. 8-14-2012 modification. Accessed 5-27-2014 at: http://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/opinions/013102.JBA_.Svege_.pdf
Additional Reading:
Post, Buckley, Schuh & Jernigan, Inc., Tallahassee, FL. Hurricane Floyd Assessment: Review of Hurricane Evacuation Studies Utilization and Information Dissemination. For U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District, and Federal Emergency Management Agency Region IV, May 2000. Accessed 4-11-2014 at: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/hes/docs/postStorm/H_FLOYD_ASSESSMENT_REVIEW_HES_UTILIZATION_INFO_DISSEMINATION.pdf
Schwab, Anna K. “Preventing Disasters through ‘Hazard Mitigation,” Popular Government, Spring 2000, pp. 2-12. Accessed 4-11-2014 at: http://sogpubs.unc.edu//electronicversions/pg/pgspr00/article1.pdf
[1] Approximate sign (~) is used in that NCDC notes the deaths of “about” 7 people in PA were indirectly related to Floyd in addition to six directly. We show data on twelve. Newspaper reports of the time noted several missing and one in serious condition in a hospital. The range has to do with conflicting reports of 4 and 5 deaths in VA. The figures of 56 fatalities one frequently finds (examples shown herein) related to “direct” deaths. Given the scale and scope of Floyd, with services denied or hindered in many places, it seems probable that there were additional health-related fatalities exacerbated by stress and/or unavailability or limited accessibility to health services.
[2] Notes 51 NC deaths when other sources note 52 or 53 (counting a hypothermia death); notes 8 PA deaths when we notes sources showing 12-13; notes 4 NJ deaths when we show Pasch (NWS) noting 6 direct fatalities.
[3] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. Connecticut. New Haven. 9/16/1999. Rappaport (p. D-1) has the date of death as Sep 16.
[4] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. Delaware. New Castle. 9/17/1999. Victims were Erica Robinson, 11 and Sarah Fisher, 12. (Philadelphia Inquirer (Marc Schogol) “Area Overflowing With Water From Storm as Flooding Forced Closings, Pa. Reached A State of Emergency.” 9-17-1999.)
[5] Principal Ronald Harder “had just finished moving mats at a shelter for victims of Hurricane Floyd…at Washington High School, where he was serving as a host principal for emergency operations for the Red Cross.” (The Capital, Annapolis, MD. “Principal at shelter has fatal heart attack.” 9-17-1999, A4.)
[6] Just notes that MA was one of four states reporting one death each. Pasch (Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999), does not note a Mass. death.
[7] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. New Jersey. Bergen. 9/16-17/1999.
[8] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. New Jersey. Passaic. 9/16/1999.
[9] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. New Jersey. Salem. 9/16/1999.
[10] Giambusso. “Ten years after Hurricane Floyd, NJ towns prepare for…hurricanes.” Star-Ledger, NJ, 9-12-2009.
[11] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. New Jersey. Salem. 9/16/1999. Notes that “they refused to evacuate and became trapped in their first floor apartment.”
[12] Brittany Cargain of Dover. Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY. “2 Drown in N.Y. Floods.” 9-18-1999, A7.
[13] Stephen Fellner, “father of five from Mahwah, N.J. drowned when his car became disabled in the water from the overflowing brook, and he undertook an 8-mile walk home Thursday night [Sep 16], police said. A kayaker found his body Friday morning in Pearl River on an embankment of Pascack Brook.” Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY. “2 Drown in N.Y. Floods.” 9-18-1999, A7.
[14] Collection of data was for the timeframe of Sep 16 to Oct 27 and was provided by to the CDC by the NC State Medical Examiner’s Office. “The medical examiner determined that 52 deaths were associated directly with the storm. Decedents ranged in age from 1 to 96 years (Median: 43 years); 38 (73%) were males. Twenty counties reported at least one death; 40% of all deaths occurred in three counties. Of the 52 deaths, 35 (67%) occurred on September 16. The leading cause of death was drowning… 24 (67%) deaths involved occupants of motor vehicles trapped in flood waters. Seven deaths occurred during transport by boat; flotation devices were not worn by any of the decedents. Five (10%) of the 52 decedents were rescue workers…. 19 cases of hypothermia occurred following the hurricane, including one death.”
[15] Cites state medical examiner.
[16] NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999. Notes he got out of his truck.
[17] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-1. Also, NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood…[NC]…Bertie…09/15/1999…09/19/1999.
[18] NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999. (Reference to Ather Smallwood)
[19] Reference to Randolph Grandberry. NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[20] National Guardsman was Leon Penland. NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999, 12-10-1999.
[21] This could be a reference to the Jenkins death in Columbus Co. The NCDC only notes: “Death…65…Male… Outside/Open Areas.” Shown as a direct death in that under “Deaths Direct/Indirect,” the notation is “1/0.” But, because Cline (NWS, Raleigh) notes no direct deaths for Columbus County we are inclined to believe this mistaken.
[22] “Went for dialysis, Dialysis Center was closed. On way home there was a tree across the road. Got car off roadway. Water started coming into the vehicle. Wife got out of car. Looked back and saw husband fallen over on seat of car.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[23] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999).” D-1. Reference is to Badger Chandler who “Drove around barricade blocking flooded street.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[24] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2. Reference is to Reiford Nichols, who drowned “Driving boat from home down flooded street. Body found in vicinity of boat later.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[25] Ref. is to Mitchell Piner (age 42). Note: “Pickup washed off road onto golf course. Truck discovered next day when waters receded. Body found 200 yards away.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999, 12-10-1999.
[26] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2.
[27] NCDPS includes death of Larry Summerlin, age 53, on Sep 17 and notes: “DOT employee on his way to work. Trying to cross high water when his pickup truck was swept into deeper water. Driver crawled from truck. Rescuer threw him a rope but he was unable to grab it. He then disappeared under the water.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[28] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2.
[29] “Found in a roadside ditch between hurricane shelter & his house.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd.
[30] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2.
[31] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2. Reference is to Chris Brown who drowned “Walking from home, fell into ditch of rushing water.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[32] “Pinetops, N.C. – Wind ripped through the dark night and rain poured…as Ben Mayo hurried to his boat on a desperate mission to save his family and friends…Three days alter, as the waters of Town Creek receded, rescue workers in…Pinetops found his body. They already had found the remains of two relatives and two neighbors who died when the boat capsized Thursday; high water kept teams from retrieving the last victim, Mayo’s 5-year-old granddaughter, Sheika….On Saturday, workers recovered the bodies of Mayo’s wife, Vivian; their daughter Keisha – Sheika’s mother; and neighbors Cabrina and Destiny Flowers, both about Sheika’s age….Authorities said Mayo…grabbed his flat-bottomed boat and loaded 11 relatives and neighbors into it…Mayo was trying to take them to safety when the boat capsized. Six people survived. ‘He rescued eight people before he went back and got his own family,’ said police dispatcher Wanda Joyner.” Daily News. “Floyd brings tragedy to NC family…” 9-20-1999.
[33] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2. Reference is to Destiny Flowers. NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[34] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2. Cabrina Dejette Flowers. NC Dept. of Health and Human Services. “1999 NC Drowning Deaths” spreadsheet.
[35] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2. Reference is to Teshekia Vines. NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[36] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly…Floyd (1999),” D-2. NCDC has age as 50. Reference is to Set Mayo. NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[37] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2. Reference is to Vivian Mayo. NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[38] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly…Floyd (1999),” D-2. NCDC has age as 23. Reference to Chiquita Mayo, 23. NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[39] Reference is to Otis Reid. NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[40] NCDC. Flash Flood. Edgecombe, has gender as female. Rappaport, Appendix D, D-2, has the gender as male.
[41] “Erni?a Jones. NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[42] Reference is to James Stokes, 64, who was “Caught in floodwater. Found dead near car. Drove into water.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[43] Rappaport, Appendix D, D-2. NCDC Storm Events Database “Flash Flood, Halifax,” has the age as 64.
[44] NCDC (Flash Flood. Halifax) has the date as Sep 15-16. NCDPS has the date as Sep 17. NCDPS notes decedent as Carrie Poythress, noting she was a passenger in a car that was washed off flooded road. NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[45] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2. Victim was Eusebio Maldonado, listed as the “Driver of car swept off road at creek.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[46] Reference is to Paul Wesley Mobley, who “drove into the flood one evening on Cornwallis Road [near Clayton and Swift Creek]. The surging current snatched up the car and sank it in fifteen feet of water Mobley and his daughter Emily, five years old, were drowned.” (Davies. 2000, 199.) Also, NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999; and Rappaport, Appendix D.
[47] Victim: Emily Mobley. (Davies. Inside the Hurricane, 2000, 199; NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd.)
[48] Age of 63 is from NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999), which names victim as James Wilder, noting “DOT worker fell or jumped off truck during rescue operations. Body found 9-18.”
[49] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2.
[50] Sep 15 date is from NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999), noting victim as William Gooding, and noting: “Going to work. Car went off road into canal. He was found 9-19 out of the car.”
[51] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly…Floyd (1999),” D-2. NCDPS has age as 54.
[52] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999), notes the location as US-64, names the victim as Eulalia Aldridge, and notes “Car washed off flooded area of US-654.”
[53] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2.
[54] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999); victim was Richard Phillips, notes “Found face down in flood water on 9-21. Last seen 9-16. Rappaport, notes freshwater drowning in vehicle.
[55] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2. NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999), names victim as Artemos Westry. Notes: “Driving across low spot of US-64. Vehicle washed into river.”
[56] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd), names David Mills; notes: “Car washed off flooded area of US-64.”
[57] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” D-2.
[58] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd), which notes: “Was trying to drive along a path to open the gates of a quarry. Was observed to be washed off the road into 200’ of water. Body recovered in vehicle 2 months later.”
[59] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd), names victim as Sherry Boyer noting that she was a passenger in a car washed from a road, adding “Possible MI [myocardial infarction, or heart attack] vs. drowning.
[60] William Jones. NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999, p. 2.)
[61] NCDPS (Fatalities from…Floyd–1999, 12-10-1999, p2.) This could be hypothermia death noted by the CDC.
[62] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999, 12-10-1999, p. 2), names victim as William Nixon and notes: “Car stalled while driving across a flooded area. He got out of the car and went under.” Also: Rappaport, D-2.
[63] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to…” D-2, has age as 70. NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999, p. 2.), has age as 78 and provides victims name and I-40 location, noting “Driving across flooded I-40 swept into ditch. Found 24 hours later belted in driver’s seat.”
[64] This may be a reference to ECU student Aaron Child, elsewhere is listed as 18. Cline notes just four Pitt County direct deaths, with one listed as: “Drowned – vehicle related – ECU student found in car after flood waters receded.”
[65] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999, p. 3), has date of death as Sep 17, whereas Rappaport (Appendix D) has date of death Sep 16. NCDPS names victim as Mario Gomez and writes: “Occupants of car decided they could not pass over a portion of road. Backed up off the road into moving water. Body recovered next day from the back seat of the car.”
[66] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999, p. 3), names victim as Silberio Gomez and refers to listing for Mario Gomez for cause of death. Also: Rappaport, Appendix D,
[67] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd), names victim as Ronald Russell, noting: “Driving car. Bridge was washed out and his car was swept into the creek. He was able to get out of the car but way swept away before help could arrive.” Also: Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to…Floyd…” D-2.
[68] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999, p. 2.), writes that he went missing after leaving home on Sep 17 “to go to hurricane party at brother’s house.” Cline writes: “Drowned – vehicle related – ECU [East Carolina University] student found in car after flood waters receded. Was on the way to a hurricane party at his brother’s house.”
[69] Aaron Christopher Child. (NC Dept. of Health and Human Services. “1999 NC Drowning Deaths” spreadsheet.) Detail on Greenville location and circumstances are from: Washington Post (Sue Anne Pressley). “Floyd Loosens Grip on Campus, But Tears Still Flow For One Family.” Seattle Times, 9-30-1999.
[70] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999, p. 3).
[71] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p.3). Victim was Marvia Moody; notes that the truck turned over.
[72] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p. 3). Names victim as Reginald Jones. Writes “Ran off road because tree downed by the storm was in the road. Thrown from the back of the truck.” Possibly same accident as Moody.
[73] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p. 3). Names victim as Osseynoa Jones and writes: “Baby’s crib set on fire by sib using butane lighter used for light during power outage.”
[74] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p. 3). Names victim as James Wilson.
[75] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p. 3). Also: Rappaport, Appendix D.
[76] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p. 3). Writes: “Found in front seat of car after flood waters receded. 100 feet off roadway, down an embankment.” Also: NCDC. Flash flood. Warren; and Rappaport, Appendix D.
[77] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p. 3). Names victim as Brandon Davis.
[78] Cline (Surface-Based Rain, Wind…Tropical Cyclones Over [NC] Since 1989, Appendix A, p. 67), lists as direct fatality and writes: “Drowned – vehicle related – Driving to work attempted to cross a road that was washed away.”
[79] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p. 3). Names victim as Kenneth Denning and writes: “Driving pickup truck on flooded road & surface washed out. Hit tree at 45 mph.” See, also, Rappaport, Appendix D.
[80] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p. 3). Writes: “Found on 9-18 in her car where road was washed out as water receded.” See, also: Rappaport, Appendix D; NC Dept. of HHS. “1999 NC Drowning Deaths” Excel spreadsheet email attachment to Blanchard, 4-10-2014; Website “Happenings & Events at NCCU [North Carolina Central University] for June 2003,” notes that NCCU instructor Brett Chambers was to attend a discussion of his book How We Got Over: Testimonies of Faith, Hope and Courage, which was about Hurricane Floyd. He was in the SUV in which Cheryl Whitley drowned.
[81] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p. 3). Names victim as Judy Core. Writes: “Jumped from a building set on fire by overturned oil lamp.”
[82] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd, p. 3). Names victim as James Driver.
[83] Syracuse Herald Journal, NY. “Ocean roars ashore; twisters lead the way.” 9-16-1999, A8. Not counted though in that it is very sketchy and could refer to one of the more detailed fatalities noted herein.
[84] Notes 6 direct deaths (4 drownings, 2 by falling trees), and “about seven other persons” who “indirectly” died.
[85] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. Pennsylvania. Philadelphia area. 9/16-17/1999.
[86] “The torrential rain associated with Floyd contributed to the death of a family (3 persons) on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Chester County…” (NCDC. Storm Events Database. Flash Flood. Pennsylvania. Philadelphia area. 9/16-17/1999.) Downingtown identified as location in: Gettysburg Times, PA. “Hundreds homeless in Pa. after record flood levels.” 9-18-1999, A3. AP report in Tyrone, PA Daily Herald of Sep 17 writes that “an eastbound tractor-trailer went out of control on the wet road, smashed through the center median, and plowed into an oncoming sport-utility vehicle in which the victims were riding…” Man and woman identified as Thor Svege Sr. and Aileen Svege in: U.S. District Court, District of CT. Alice Svege, Plaintiff, v. Mercedes Benz Credit Corp., Defendant. “Ruling on Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss. 8-14-2012 mod. Note that Aileen Svege’s mother, Jerilyn Dyer, was third death from: Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. Svege v. Interstate Safety Service Inc JV. Decided 12-7-2004. Notes that two children and maternal grandfather survived. Ages of victims are from: GenealogyBuff.com. Connecticut Statewide Obituary Collection. “Connecticut Obituary Collection – 62.” 6-27-2011.
[87] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. Pennsylvania. Philadelphia area. 9/16-17/1999.
[88] Gettysburg Times, PA. “Hundreds homeless in Pa. after record flood levels.” 9-18-1999, A3.
[89] Daily Herald, Tyrone, PA (Rubinkam, AP) “Floyd leaves dead and missing……evacuations.” 9-17-1999, p.3. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, “The body of Joseph Redclay, 61, was found floating facedown in 4 inches of water in the basement of his home in the 700 block of Noble Street, Norristown. Police said he might have been electrocuted.” The Sep 17 report is of the previous day. (Philadelphia Inquirer (Marc Schogol) “Area Overflowing With Water From Storm as Flooding Forced Closings, Pa. Reached A State of Emergency.” 9-17-1999.)
[90] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. Pennsylvania. Philadelphia area. 9/16-17/1999. Date is from Dr. Edward N. Rappaport in Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999),” in NWS. Hurricane Floyd Floods of September 1999. Service Assessment. June 2000, p. D-1.
[91] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. Pennsylvania. Philadelphia area. 9/16-17/1999; date from: Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999).” D-1.
[92] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. Pennsylvania. Philadelphia area. 9/16-17/1999.
[93] Gettysburg Times, PA. “Hundreds homeless in Pa. after record flood levels.” 9-18-1999, A3.
[94] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. Pennsylvania. Philadelphia area. 9/16-17/1999.
[95] Fred Campagna. “From the Archives: Hurricane Floyd – 1999.” Right Weather, 9-17-2012.
[96] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. High Wind. Vermont. Orange. 9/16 22:00, 9-17/1999, 15:00. Also: Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999).”
[97] Cited is Frank Gilmore of the VA Dept. of Emergency Services. (Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Floyd (continued from p.1),” 9-17-1999, p. 10.)
[98] “Police in Fairfax County said a woman driving on Fair Lakes Boulevard was killed Thursday when a tree came down on her car. Adrienne M. Utz, 61, of Centreville, was pronounced dead at the scene.” (Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Floyd (continued from p.1),” 9-17-1999, p. 10.) Also: Rappaport, Appendix D, D-1.
[99] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. Virginia. Greensville. 9/16/1999. Could be a double-count for Southampton death or vice versa. This is noted by the NCDC in its Storm Events Database, giving impression that it is a direct death in that the record-page is for “Flash flood,” and the narrative is about flooding, though for cause of death, “death” is noted, not drowning. Rappaport notes a 9-year-old female vehicle-related drowning death in Southampton County. The NCDC does not note a Southampton County fatality.
[100] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999).” D-1.
[101] “The storm was blamed for two fatal crashes and two other deaths in Virginia. State police said Erica R. Washington, 24 of Henrico County was killed on Interstate 95 Wednesday night [Sep 15] when her car hydroplaned on standing water just north of Richmond [Henrico County is just north of Richmond], spun across three lanes and hit a tree.” Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA. “Floyd (continued from p.1),” 9-17-1999, p. 10.
[102] Rappaport, Appendix D, “U.S. Tropical Cyclone Deaths Directly Attributed to Hurricane Floyd (1999).” D-1. It is possible that either this or the Greensville County death is a mistaken duplication. The NCDC does not note a Southampton County fatality.
[103] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Flash Flood. CT. New Haven. Rappaport (p. D-1) has date of death as Sep 16.
[104] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Flash Flood. Delaware. New Castle. 9/17/1999. Noted by Pasch as direct.
[105] NCDPS includes death of Larry Summerlin, age 53, on Sep 17 and notes: “DOT employee on his way to work. Trying to cross high water when his pickup truck was swept into deeper water. Driver crawled from truck. Rescuer threw him a rope but he was unable to grab it. He then disappeared under the water.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[106] This may be a reference to ECU student Aaron Child, who, elsewhere is listed as 18 at the time. Cline notes just four Pitt County direct deaths, with one listed as: “Drowned – vehicle related – ECU student found in car after flood waters receded.”
[107] NCDPS (Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999, p. 2.), writes that he went missing after leaving home on Sep 17 “to go to hurricane party at brother’s house.”
[108] Noted as direct death in NCDC and Rappaport, Appendix D.
[109] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Event Details. Flash Flood. Pennsylvania. Philadelphia area. 9/16-17/1999.
[110] Could be a double-count. This is noted by the NCDC in its Storm Events Database (Event Details. Flash Flood. Virginia. Greensville. 9/16/1999), giving impression that it is a direct death in that the record-page is for “Flash flood,” and the narrative is about flooding, though for cause of death, “death” is noted, not drowning. Rappaport notes a 9-year-old female vehicle-related drowning death in Southampton County. The NCDC does not note a Southampton County fatality.
[111] Cline (Surface-Based Rain, Wind…Tropical Cyclones Over [NC] Since 1989, Appendix A, p. 67), lists as a direct fatality and writes: “Drowned – vehicle related – Driving to work attempted to cross a road that was washed away.”
[112] According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, “The body of Joseph Redclay, 61, was found floating facedown in 4 inches of water in the basement of his home in the 700 block of Noble Street, Norristown. Police said he might have been electrocuted.” The Sep 17 report is of the previous day. (Inquirer. “Area Overflowing…” 9-17-1999.)
[113] “Went for dialysis, Dialysis Center was closed. On way home there was a tree across the road. Got car off roadway. Water started coming into the vehicle. Wife got out of car. Looked back and saw husband fallen over on seat of car.” NCDPS. Fatalities from Hurricane Floyd – 1999 spreadsheet, 12-10-1999.
[114] NCDPS (Fatalities from…Floyd), notes she was a passenger in a car washed from a road, adding “Possible MI [myocardial infarction/heart attack] vs. drowning. [Thus 3 possible causes – drowning, heart attack, pneumonia.]
[115] This is not one of the direct deaths identified by Joel Cline (NWS, Raleigh), within NC.
[116] This, however, is very sketchy and could refer to one of the more detailed fatalities noted herein.
[117] Thrown from back of truck.
[118] Just notes that MA was one of four states reporting one death each. Pasch (Preliminary Report, Hurricane Floyd 7-17 September, 1999. 11-18-1999), does not note a Mass. death.