Hurricane Hugo: 20th Anniversary

(Above) Damage from Hugo in South Carolina. (Courtesy of McKelvins.com)

1989 - Hurricane Hugo slammed into the South Carolina coast about 11 PM, making landfall near Sullivans Island. Hurricane Hugo was directly responsible for thirty-five deaths in the U.S. and sixty-five deaths in the Caribbean. A total of 420 persons were injured in the hurricane, and damage was estimated at eight billion dollars, including two billion dollars damage to crops. Sustained winds reached 85 mph at Folly Beach SC, with wind gusts as high was 138mph. Wind gusts reached 98 mph at Charleston, and 109 mph at Shaw AFB. The biggest storm surge occurred in the McClellanville and Bulls Bay area of Charleston County, with a storm surge of 20.2 feet reported at Seewee Bay. Shrimp boats were found one half mile inland at McClellanville. (National Weather Summary) Hugo slammed into the Carribean Islands as a category 5 hurricane before moving towards the East Coast. In the British territory Montserrat, 90% of all structures were destroyed. Below is some of the most incredible hurricane video you will ever see from Michael Laca, who intercepted Hugo in Puerto Rico!