Camille’s peak winds at Mississippi Coast downgraded from 190 to 175 mph
By Patrick Ochs, The Sun Herald | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Forty-five years after Hurricane Camille destroyed the Coast, a new report says the 1969 storm's wind strength actually peaked at 175 mph -- not the 190 mph that was previously recorded.
According to the
Former
"That's ridiculous, really ridiculous," he said. "Actually, I think the wind strength here was more than 190. At the time, they talked about it being over 200 mph.
"They didn't use any records from over here, I guarantee that. When you went down to the beach the next day, the debris was just everywhere. Ships were washed ashore even."
The three-term mayor said
"Oh, Wade would be having a fit," he said. "He really would. He was right in the middle of it and would tell you it was well over 200. No question about it."
Survivors' stories
Everyone who lived through Camille has a story to tell about the storm and the decimation it left.
"The road was basically all gone so you had to crawl over timber from the houses, vehicles, holes and everything," he said. "It was real bad."
The storm's being downgraded surprised him.
"We were told all throughout the years that
The roof stayed on
"Camille was such a compact, fast-moving storm," Lacy said. "The roof on my parents' house almost came off. The insurance adjusters told us that if it would have lasted another couple of hours I may or may not have been here right now. The roof probably wouldn't have been on the house."
Camille is the second-strongest hurricane to strike the U.S. mainland since 1900. The Florida Keys
Category 5 hurricanes have maximum sustained winds of at least 157 mph.
___
___
(c)2014 The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.)
Visit The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.) at www.sunherald.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Wordcount: | 508 |
Romney backs Chapman in 9th District race
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News