1970 — Aug 3-4, Hurricane Celia, So. TX (15), esp. Corpus Christi & off FL (14)[1] — 29
— 31 Playground Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, FL. “31 Known Fatalities…” 8-5-1970, 2[2]
— 29 Blanchard tally for U.S. deaths based State and local breakouts below.
–27-28 Wikipedia. “Hurricane Celia.” (27 direct and 1 indirect) 9-16-2011 modification.[3]
— 27 News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “Celia Fades; 27 Die.” 8-5-1970, p. 1.[4]
— 26 Burt and Stroud. Extreme Weather: A Guide & Record Book. 2004, p. 205.
— 26 Cumberland News, MD. “Major National…News Events of 1970…” 1-7-1971, 20.
— 24 Orton / Condon. “Hurricane Celia, July 30-Aug. 5.” Climatological Data, 1970, p. 403.
Breakout of Fatalities by State
Florida (14)
— 14 State. Blanchard estimate of drownings in waters off coast of Florida (indirect deaths).[5]
— 14 “ Cumberland News, MD. “Major National…News Events of 1970…” 1-7-1971, 20.
— 14 “ News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “Celia Fades; 27 Die.” 8-5-1970, p. 1.
— 14 “ News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “County Records 20th Drowning.” 8-5-1970, p. 1.[6]
— 12 “ Drownings. Barlow. “Celia…Corpus…” News Tribune, Fort Pierce, FL, 8-4-1970, 1.[7]
— >8 “ Drownings. EDS, US DOC. Storm Data, Vol. 12, No. 8, August 1970, p. 119.[8]
— 8 “ Drownings. Orton / Condon. “Hurricane Celia…” Climatological Data, 1970, 403.[9]
Localities.
— 4 Manatee County waters (west coast of FL, below Tampa).[10]
— 1 off St. Petersburg, Pinellas Co., southwest of Tampa and just above Manatee County.[11]
— 9 “Panhandle” beaches, Gulf of Mexico.[12]
— 1 off Panama City Beach, Gulf of Mexico, Aug 4. Drowning, 44-year-old male.[13]
— 1 off West Panama City Beach, Gulf of Mex., Aug 3. Drowning, 46-year-old male.[14]
Texas (15)
–15 So. TX. NWS/Tinsley. “40th Anniversary of Last Major Hurricane in the Coastal Bend.”
–12 “ Cumberland News, MD. “Major National…News Events of 1970…” 1-7-1971, 20.
–11 “ EDS, US DOC. Storm Data, Vol. 12, No. 8, August 1970, p. 129.[15]
–11 “ Ludlum. The American Weather Book, 1982, p. 173.
–11 “ (direct) Orton and Condon. “Hurricane Celia…” Climatological Data, 1970, 404.
–11 “ Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. 1-17-2010 update, p. 9.
— 8 “ Panama City News-Herald, FL. “Celia Fades; 27 Die.” 8-5-1970, p. 1.
Localities
–5 Corpus Christi. News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “Celia Fades; 27 Die.” 8-5-1970, p. 2.[16]
–1 Lake Corpus Christi, tornado fatally injures man struck by flying debris from his home.[17]
–3 Port Aransas. News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “Celia Fades; 27 Die.” 8-5-1970, p. 2.[18]
Cuba ( 5)
— 5 Orton and Condon. “Hurricane Celia…” Climatological Data, 1970, p. 404.
— 5 Panama City News-Herald, FL. “Celia Fades; 27 Die.” 8-5-1970, p. 1.
— 5 Simpson, Robert H. “Preliminary Report Celia.” National Hurricane Center, 8-14-1970, p.2.
Narrative Information
Orton and Condon: “The weak cyclone moved northwestward at about 10 m.p.h., crossing the western tip of Cuba on the evening of the 31st [July] and entering the Gulf of Mexico. Western Cuba was lashed with showers and squalls of up to 50 m.p.h., and five persons were reported killed. The depression intensified rapidly over the warm waters of the Gulf, and an Air Force reconnaissance plane found it had increased to tropical storm intensity on the morning of August 1; Celia had been born.
“The storm continued o move on a northwesterly track as further intensification occurred. At 4 p.m. (CST) on the 1st, Celia was upgraded to a hurricane near 24° N., 87° W., or about 410 mi. south of Pensacola, Fla. Later that evening the 875 mb. Tempest was packing winds in excess of 100 m.p.h. near the center. The small intense hurricane churned across the Gulf…on the 2d and took aim on the southern Texas Coast. By midnight the central pressure had risen to 998 mb., and the maximum winds had dropped to 90 m.p.h….” (Orton and Condon. “Hurricane Celia, July 30-August 5.” Pp. 403-418 in: Climatological Data National Summary, 21/8, Aug 1970.)
Wikipedia: “Hurricane Celia was the third named tropical cyclone, the second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 1970 Atlantic hurricane season. Celia began as a tropical wave which formed off the eastern coast of Africa on July 23. The wave reached the eastern Caribbean Sea on July 28 and began to become more organized. The low was declared a tropical depression a few days later while slowly developing. The depression crossed over western Cuba late on July 31, causing five fatalities. Shortly after emerging into the Gulf of Mexico, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Celia. With warm sea surface temperatures, Celia rapidly intensified into a major hurricane on the August 1.
“The intensification was temporary and Celia weakened to a minimal hurricane the next morning. As Celia moved towards the Texas coastline, it began to rapidly intensify again. The storm reached its peak as it made landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas, as a strong Category Three hurricane late on August 3. The storm caused 15 fatalities in Texas before dissipating inland the next day. Damages in Texas totaled to $930 million, making Celia the costliest disaster in Texas history at the time….
“Celia caused 27 fatalities, four in Cuba, eight in Florida and 15 in Texas…” (Wikipedia. “Hurricane Celia.” 9-16-2011 modification.)
Florida
Wikipedia: “While over the central Gulf of Mexico, strong rip currents and large swells produced by the storm resulted in eight drownings along the Florida coastline.” (Wikipedia. “Hurricane Celia.” 9-16-2011 modification.)
Newspapers
Aug 4: “Corpus Christi, Tex. (AP)….On Florida’s coast, 12 persons drowned because of undertows and rough water spawned by the hurricane.” (News Tribune, Fort Pierce, FL. “Celia Shatters Corpus Christi.” 8-4-1970, p. 1.)
Aug 4: “A 44-year-old Ft. Lauderdale man apparently fell victim to rough surf churned up in the wake of Hurricane Celia and drowned Tuesday at 10:40 a.m., according to Bay County Sheriff M. J. (Doc) Daffin. Nathan W. Lord was pronounced dead on arrival at Bay Memorial Hospital where he was taken by Bay Ambulance. Reports made at the scene of the accident said Lord and his wife Martha were out in the Gulf off Panama City Beach on a small plastic raft when he was evidently knocked off the float and drowned by choppy waters. A masonry contractor on vacation here, his body has been shipped to Ft. Lauderdale for services and burial there, a Smith Funeral Home spokesman said.
“Lord was the second drowning victim in as many days here. John Nuby, 46, of Peoria, Ill., died in waters off West Panama City Beach.
“The two brought the state’s drowning death toll to 14 in the backlash of Hurricane Celia. They were also the 19th and 20th casualties in Bay County for 1970. Fort Walton Beaches were considered dangerous as late as Tuesday evening…” (News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “County Records 20th Drowning.” 8-5-1970, p. 1.)
Aug 5: “Corpus Christi, Tex. (AP) — Hurricane Celia was dying in the mountains of Mexico Tuesday [Aug 4] after moving across Texas and leaving this resort city of 335,000 crippled — without gas or electricity and heavily damaged.
“The hurricane, worst of the season, left 31 known dead — 5 in Cuba, 14 in Florida and 12 in Texas. The deaths in Florida were blamed on undertows and high waters caused by Celia as she whipped through the Caribbean.
“Officials said 90 per cent of downtown Corpus Christi was destroyed or badly damaged, with 70 per cent of the residential areas similarly wrecked. The picture was the same in surrounding towns.
“Late Tuesday, President Nixon declared the Corpus Christi area a major disaster area and authorized federal funds to help relief measures. The amount of money to be made available was not determined at once.
“The storm, packing winds of 145 to 160 miles per hour, ripped in from off the Corpus Christi Bay Monday night.
“Celia was reported battering herself to death in the mountains of Mexico Tuesday afternoon after sweeping across Del Rio Pass, 250 miles northwest of here. The Weather Bureau said its winds were clocked at 89 m.p.h. The path of Celia held parallels to Hurricane Beulah of 1967 which left the rich, highly populated lower Rio Grande Valley suffering from severe floods for weeks. Beulah’s top winds were 135 m.p.h. But Celia’s rainfall of less than 9 inches on the upper watershed of the Rio Grande nowhere approached the 30 inches that fell as Beulah entered Mexico. However, flash flood warnings were issued for tributaries of the Rio Grande, and the Nueces River, which empties at Corpus Christi, was rising rapidly.
“Five victims were found in Corpus Christi and City Manager Gay Walker of Port Aransas said three bodies were found there. Five died In Cuba as the hurricane began its voyage. The other deaths were in Florida.
“Celia’s peak wind speed of 160 m.p.h. Monday afternoon compared with Camille’s 200 m.p.h.
Velocity when it hit the Mississippi Coast in 1969, and Carla’s force of 175 m.p.h. when it struck Texas north of Corpus Christi in 1961.” (Playground Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, FL. “31 Known Fatalities Accredited to Celia.” 8-5-1970, p. 2.)
Texas
Ludlum: “Hurricane Celia struck the Corpus Christi area; ‘the most damaging ever on the Texas coast,’ with 11 deaths and $454 million loss.” (Ludlum. American Weather Book, 1982, p. 173.)
NWS/Tinsley: “…Hurricane Celia blasted the Coastal Bend. On August 3rd, 1970, Hurricane Celia made landfall near Port Aransas as a major Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds of 125-130 mph….
“Celia formed into a tropical depression in the northwest Caribbean Sea west of the Cayman Islands on July 30th. Celia became a tropical storm on the morning of August 1st as it entered the Gulf of Mexico after crossing the western tip of Cuba. Celia quickly intensified to a major hurricane by late afternoon with 115 mph winds as the pressure dropped 25 millibars in 8 hours. But the intensification was brief as winds decreased to 90 mph later on the morning
of the August 2nd.
“Although Celia stayed on a west-northwest course, a curve to the right was expected before landfall. Hurricane warnings were issued for the Upper Texas Coast on the morning of August 2nd. However, Celia stayed on course for Corpus Christi. Hurricane warnings were issued on the morning of August 3rd for Corpus Christi for a strong Category 1 or weak Category 2 hurricane (90 to 100 mph sustained winds). For those that had waited, only limited time was left to make preparations for the storm. Conditions worsened as Celia underwent rapid intensification
before landfall. The central pressure dropped 43 millibars in 15 hours to 945 millibars (27.89 inches of mercury at Ingleside) at landfall in the afternoon of August 3rd. Celia almost reached Category 4 status with sustained winds of 125 mph at Corpus Christi International Airport and 130 mph at Aransas Pass.
“Celia caused 15 deaths in South Texas and 466 injuries. Celia weakened to a tropical storm by the time it reached Cotulla but remained a tropical storm as it passed near Del Rio, causing a million dollars worth in damage to that city. Celia weakened to a tropical depression as it moved into the Big Bend. Celia was still a tropical depression as it crossed El Paso before weakening further.
“For most hurricanes, the storm surge is the most damaging and life threatening element. But Celia showed what can happen when extreme winds affect a metropolitan area. As the eye of Celia moved across Corpus Christi Bay, sustained winds of 110 to 130 mph occurred from Nueces County north to southern part of Refugio County. The strongest winds occurred in less than 30 minutes over the Corpus Christi area but caused all of the significant damage. A notable aspect of the winds was the strength of the gusts. The maximum gusts were typically 30 to 40 mph greater. The highest estimated gusts were 180 mph at Aransas Pass and Robstown.
“Much of the destruction appeared to be similar to what can be associated with a tornado, but surveys did not show any circulation within damage areas…The damage was also peculiar in that some homes near the devastated areas were almost untouched. Dr. Robert Simpson, director of the National Hurricane Center at the time and who later helped develop the Saffir-Simpson
scale in 1971, surveyed the damage in Corpus Christi from aircraft. Simpson described it as ‘a succession of long streaks of heavy damage…as small packets of high energy winds radially spaced from north to south at intervals of a mile or more raked across Corpus Christi from west to east.’
“The destructive winds from Hurricane Celia left behind staggering property damage to the Coastal Bend.
“Damage was extreme in the Coastal Bend counties of Nueces, San Patricio, and Aransas, generally around Corpus Christi Bay. The hardest hit areas included the Corpus Christi metro area, Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, Robstown, and Portland as well as other smaller communities in this region. In Corpus Christi, 70 percent of residences suffered damage. In Portland, 90 percent of the homes and businesses suffered damage and near 75 percent in Port Aransas. In total, 8,950 homes where destroyed, 13,850 homes suffered major damage, and 41,800 homes had minor damage. Commercial losses included 252 businesses destroyed, 331 boats lost, and
310 farm buildings damaged. Over 3000 power poles were blown down across the area. Most mobile home in the high winds were shredded and a total loss. The total property and crop damage was estimated at 453.8 million dollars (relates to 2.5 billion dollars in 2010). Celia was the costliest storm to hit Texas up to that time, surpassing Category 4 Hurricane Carla’s damage of 1961….
“Hurricane Celia produced several tornadoes that affected various regions of South Texas. The number of tornadoes was much less that what was seen with Hurricane Beulah in 1967. One of the eight tornadoes killed a man near Lake Corpus Christi and caused 2 injuries. The eight tornadoes occurred in the following locations: Port O’Connor, Lake Corpus Christi to 1 mile north of Sandia, 4 miles southeast of Refugio, near Yoakum (DeWitt County), just south and 10 miles west of Dilley (Frio County), north of Katy (Harris County), and Alvin (Brazoria County)….” (NWS WFO, Corpus Christi, TX (Tim Tinsley). Hurricane Celia 1970. “40th Anniversary of Last Major Hurricane in the Coastal Bend.”)
Orton and Condon: “Extreme hurricane Celia, following in the wake of Carla (1961) and Beulah (1967), became the third major storm to hit the Texas Gulf Coast in the past ten years. Celia was unique and severe. Measured in dollars, she was the costliest storm in the state’s history. Sustained wind speeds reached 130 m.p.h., but it was great bursts of kinetic energy of short duration that appeared to cause the severe damage. Wind gusts of 161 m.p.h. were measured at the Corpus Christi National Weather Service Office, and near Aransas Pass peak gusts were estimated as high as 180 m.p.h. Celia caused, both directly and indirectly, 24 deaths, and total property and crop damage in Texas was estimated at $453.8 million….” (p. 403)
“A total of eight tornadoes are known to have occurred in Texas in association with hurricane Celia….One of the tornadoes was responsible for one of the deaths attributed to hurricane Celia. It struck a man’s home at Lake Corpus Christi, and he was fatally injured when struck by the flying debris….
“Monetarily, Celia was the fourth costliest hurricane in United States history, exceeded only by Betsy (1965), $1.42 billion; Camille (1969), also $1.42 billion; and Diane (1955), $831.7 million. In Texas total property damage was estimated at $444.9 million and crop damage at $8.8 million. Property losses were heavy due to the fact the hurricane unleashed its greatest fury on a major urban area. Carla in 1961 wrought devastation primarily with mountainous storm tides; Beulah in 1967 inundated thousands of square miles with 20 to 30 inch rains; Celia did it all with winds.
“The remarkable fact is that, measured in terms of total deaths, Celia ranks far below the other hurricanes mentioned above. Celia took 11 lives in Texas and 5 in Cuba. Deaths indirectly caused by Celia occurred along the Florida Panhandle, where 8 people drowned in heavy surf generated by Celia, then approximately 300 miles away in the center of the Gulf of Mexico. The extremely low death/damage ration can be attributed to the fact that Celia did not generate a severe storm surge or floods as did the others, and the success of the disaster preparedness measures taken by the people in the hurricane’s path. At least 466 people were injured in Texas, not including hundreds of minor cuts, scratches and bruises.
“The American Red Cross estimated that 48,316 Texas families suffered losses. In the Texas Coastal Bend 1,058 homes were destroyed, 5,397 homes suffered major damage, and 28,556 suffered minor damage. Destroyed or severely damaged were 1,305 trailers, 96 boats, and 391 farm buildings. The 12,570 ton Liberian freighter Trade Carrier…was forced ashore and grounded, and the West German motorship Jeanette was torn from her moorings and left high on a sand bank. The 6,520 ton Norwegian vessel Belevelyn was damaged at Corpus Christi….
“President Nixon declared 12 Texas counties disaster areas so that federal funds would be available for relief. They were: Nueces, San Patricio, Aransas, Refugio, Jim Wells, Live Oak, Bee, Atascosa, McMullen, Goliad, Karnes, and Wilson….
“At Corpus Christi, the devastation was unlike that of most hurricanes, which center their damage around the edge of the water; almost every building in the city seemed to have been hit. An estimated 90 percent of the downtown buildings suffered major damage…Some were destroyed. Few if any residences escaped some damage; about one-third suffered major damage or were destroyed….” (p. 404) (Orton, Robert B. and Charles R. Condon. “Hurricane Celia, July 30-August 5.” Pp. 403-418 in: Climatological Data National Summary, Vol. 21, No. 8, Aug 1970. Asheville, NC: Environmental Data Service, NOAA. U.S. Dept. of Commerce.)
Roth: “August 3rd, 1970 (Celia): Hurricane Celia hit Corpus Christi on the 3rd. The system developed as a tropical depression in the northwest Caribbean on July 30th and moved on a west-northwest heading. Celia became a hurricane on the 1st, when centered about midway between Tampa, Florida and Merida, Mexico. Evacuations of the upper Texas coast began at 11 AM on the 2nd and hurricane warnings were extended southward to Corpus Christi at 5 AM on the 3rd.
“Celia made landfall between Corpus Christi and Port Aransas by 3 PM and moved across Mathis, Fowlerton, Cotulla, Eagle Pass, and Del Rio as a small but powerful hurricane. Gusts of 150 mph blew down the anemometer at Aransas Pass; gusts an hour later were estimated near 180 mph. Corpus Christi reported sustained winds of 125 mph with gusts to 161 mph occurring at 5:38 PM on the 3rd….
“Damage reached $1 million in Del Rio as winds gusted to 89 mph. Robstown measured 7.24” of rain, while Aransas Pass reported 6.5” of rain and Corpus Christi saw 6.38” (a new daily rainfall record for the 3rd). At least nine tornadoes were spawned by the hurricane (Novlan & Gray 1974). The remains of Celia drifted into southern New Mexico by the 5th.
“A storm surge of 9.2 feet was seen at Port Aransas Beach. An oil derrick designed to withstand 175 mph winds was blown away at Robstown. Lowest station pressure recorded on land was 27.89” at 4:45 PM in Ingleside. Damages totaled $500 million, mostly due to high winds… similar to what happened in Houston from their “surprise hurricane” in 1943. This is quite unusual considering most damage is usually caused by the storm surge.” (Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, pp. 53-54.)
Newspapers at the time:
Aug 5: “The hurricane, the worst of the season, left 27 known dead — five in Cuba, 14 in Florida and eight in Texas. The deaths in Florida were blamed on undertows and high waters caused by Celia as she whished through the Caribbean.” (Panama City News-Herald, FL. “Celia Fades; 27 Die.” 8-5-1970, p. 1.)
Jan 7, 1971: “Aug. 3 Hurricane Celia strikes Texas Gulf Coast, devastating Corpus Christi area and killing 12 after causing 14 deaths in Florida….” (Cumberland News, MD. “Major National, International News Events of 1970…” 1-7-1971, 20.)
Sources
Barlow, Jim (AP). “Celia Shatters Corpus Christi.” News Tribune, Fort Pierce, FL, 8-4-1970, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=90391405&sterm
Burt, Christopher C. and Mark Stroud. Extreme Weather: A Guide & Record Book. W. W. Norton & Co., 2004, 304 pages. Google preview accessed 1-1-2014 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=NuP7ATq9nWgC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Cumberland News, MD. “Major National, International News Events of 1970…” 1-7-1971, 20. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com
Environmental Data Service, DOC. Storm Data, Volume 12, No. 8, August 1970. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Commerce, Environmental Science Services Administration. Accessed 2-28-2018 at: https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-4584047B-BDA3-42DF-928C-1D7E5350E580.pdf
Ludlum, David M. The American Weather Book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1982.
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Corpus Christi, TX (Tim Tinsley). Hurricane Celia 1970. “40th Anniversary of Last Major Hurricane in the Coastal Bend.” Accessed 2-28-2018 at: https://www.weather.gov/crp/celia1970
News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “Celia Fades; 27 Die.” 8-5-1970, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=35273970&sterm
News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “County Records 20th Drowning.” 8-5-1970, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=35273970&sterm
Orton, Robert B. and Charles R. Condon. “Hurricane Celia, July 30-August 5.” Pp. 403-418 in: Climatological Data National Summary, Vol. 21, No. 8, Aug 1970. Asheville, NC: Environmental Data Service, NOAA. U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Google digital preview accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=WwMVAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Playground Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, FL. “31 Known Fatalities Accredited to Celia.” 8-5-1970, p. 2. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=79383505&sterm
Roth, David (National Weather Service). Texas Hurricane History. Camp Springs, MD: NWS. 1-17-2010 update. At: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf
Simpson, Robert H. “Preliminary Report Celia.” Miami: National Hurricane Center, NOAA 8-14-1970, p. 2. At: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/cdmp/dvd0033-jpg/1970/atlantic/celia/prenhc/2.01.jpg
Wikipedia. “Hurricane Celia.” 9-16-2011 mod. At: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Celia
[1] There were also 5 fatalities in Cuba.
[2] This includes 5 fatalities in Cuba, in addition to 14 in FL and 12 in TX. Our work focuses on U.S. fatalities.
[3] We believe that this number includes the five fatalities in Cuba, in addition to Texas and Florida.
[4] Includes five fatalities in Cuba, in addition to 14 for Florida and 8 for Texas.
[5] We accept the reporting of nine deaths off Panhandle beaches, four off Manatee County beaches and one off St. Petersburg (for 14). This reporting was a day later than the Aug 4 reporting of 12 drowning deaths. One does not know the day in August when Orton and Condon wrote their report; nor do we know their sourcing, just that they note 8 drowning deaths off Florida Panhandle beaches. It does not appear that they were aware of reporting of four drowning deaths off Manatee County beaches or the one drowning death off St. Petersburg. Thus we do not use.
[6] It is written on page 2 of the article that “The two-day [Aug 3-4] death toll for Florida included nine drownings off the Panhandle beaches, four off Manatee County and one off St. Petersburg.”
[7] “On Florida’s coast, 12 persons drowned because of undertows and rough water spawned by the hurricane.”
[8] “At least 8 persons were drowned in the Florida Panhandle on August 2nd and 3rd due to the effects of Hurricane Celia. Rip Tides and heavy surge whipped by Hurricane Celia pounded the beaches of Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa Counties…”
[9] Orton and Condon classify these as indirect deaths and write “Deaths indirectly caused by Celia occurred along the Florida Panhandle, where 8 people drowned in heavy surf generated by Celia, then approximately 300 miles away in the center of the Gulf of Mexico.”
[10] News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “County Records 20th Drowning.” 8-5-1970, p. 2.
[11] News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “County Records 20th Drowning.” 8-5-1970, p. 2.
[12] News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “County Records 20th Drowning.” 8-5-1970, p. 2.
[13] Nathan W. Lord. News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “County Records 20th Drowning.” 8-5-1970, p. 1.
[14] John Nuby. News-Herald, Panama City, FL. “County Records 20th Drowning.” 8-5-1970, p. 1.
[15] “Celia caused 11 deaths in Texas, at least 466 injuries, not including hundreds of minor cuts, scratches…bruises.”
[16] “Five victims were found in Corpus Christi…”
[17] Orton, Robert B. and Charles R. Condon. “Hurricane Celia, July 30-August 5.” P. 404 in: Climatological Data National Summary, V21, N8, Aug 1970. Asheville, NC: Environmental Data Service, NOAA. Dept. of Commerce.
[18] “…City Manager Gay Walker of Port Aransas said three bodies were found there.”