Geography of Guadeloupe - Hurricanes

Hurricanes

The department was devastated by several hurricanes in modern times:

• On 12 September, 1928 Okeechobee hurricane caused extensive damage and killed thousands of people.
• On 22 August 1964, Guadeloupe was ravaged by Hurricane Cleo, which killed 14 people.
• Two years later, on 27 September 1966, Hurricane Inez caused extensive damage and killed 27 people, mostly in Grande-Terre. Charles De Gaulle visited the island after the hurricanes and declared it a disaster area.
• On 17 September 1989, Category 4 Hurricane Hugo caused very extensive damage, left more than 35,000 homeless, destroyed 10,000 homes, 100 percent of the banana crops, and 60 percent of the sugar cane crops.
• From late August to mid September 1995, the island was in the path of three successive cyclones: Tropical Storm Iris on 28 August caused minor damages; Hurricane Luis on 5 September caused moderate damages in north coast of Grande-Terre; Hurricane Marilyn on 15 September caused moderate damages in Basse-Terre.
• On 20 September 1998, Hurricane Georges pounded the islands, decimated the banana crops at nearly 100%.