On September 14, 2002, the deadliest hurricane disaster in World history occurred It is impossible to tell all, and the world, at best, can never know all the tragedies written by the storm. This is the worst since the Galveston Hurricane,' which occurred on September 8, 1900 killing more than 6, 000 people. Hurricane Daphine was born off the African coast on September the 4 th but didn't become a hurricane until the 11 th. The hurricane-force winds, 197 mph destroyed buildings, mobile homes and trees. Debris, such as signs, roofing material, siding, and small items left outside, become flying missiles. The winds stayed above hurricane strength well inland.

Once into the Gulf of Mexico, the small, powerful hurricane intensified rapidly. By late afternoon on the 14 th an Air Force reconnaissance plane measured a 905 mb pressure (26. 72 inches) and winds of 160 mph, indicating a Category 5 hurricane, the most powerful on the Safir/Simpson Scale. Daphine was accompanied by surges and swept across the coastline near where it made landfall. The surge was devastating - high water topped by waves.

Along the immediate coast, the storm tide drowned everything. The storm surge arrived at the same time as the high tide, and the water height produced a 35-foot storm tide. This is the most expensive hurricane in United States history. So far it is the only category 5 hurricanes to hit the U. S. this century.

Daphine caused unprecedented economic devastation along its path through the Bahamas, South Florida, Georgia and Louisiana and Kentucky, New York, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee.