Additionally, the Susquehanna River threatened to reach record crests along its course. All [48] In western Cuba, Agnes dropped heavy rainfall, peaking at 16.76 inches (426mm) on Isla de la Juventud. In addition, a bridge from Coquina Key to St. Petersburg was also underwater due to high tides. browser may not display or print as intended. In Laurel, the 9th Street Bridge crossing the Patuxent River was washed away by flood waters. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TROPICAL DEPRESSION, TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE? The Luzerne County Bureau for the Aging, left with the arduous task of relocating the elderly, estimates that they were able to aid 3,000 seniors aged 55 and above in the month following the storm. Authorities in Pennsylvania closed countless roads, including some heavily traveled interstates, and evacuation shelters opened to serve the many displaced people. An official website of the United States government. Buildings and homes of devastated areas re-emerged from beneath the water and life began to return to normal. Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. Open-File Report This week marks the 50th anniversary of the historic, deadly flooding spawned by Hurricane Agnes and its remnants in June 1972 across the eastern U.S., including the 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The cyclone sped east-northeast, reaching Cape Breton Island on June27 before intensifying as it re-entered the North Atlantic. [20] The highest amount of precipitation recorded was 4.59 inches (117mm) in Unicoi. WebFlood: Pennsylvania 1972 Fulbright, Jim Published by Timothy E. Euker & David Berner, Harrisburg, PA, 1972 Seller: Dorley House Books, Inc., Hagerstown, U.S.A. [47] However, about 350dwellings in Washington, D.C. suffered minor damage. ):
[27] Following Agnes, three news correspondents and the pilot died in a helicopter crash in Harrisburg on June26, 1972, while reporting on the flooding. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. J. F. Bailey, J. L. Patterson, and J. L. H. Paulhus. Multiple locations were found. redistributed.
[21] At the White House, reporters noted wet carpets in the press room of the basement floor. It was also reported that extensive crop damage occurred in low-lying areas. LockA locked padlock The borough reservoir and Rattling Creek, having been swelled to capacity by heavy rains, unleashed a torrent that caught local residents completely off guard. WebIn June 1972, tropical storm Agnes caused severe flooding within a broad area extending from North Carolina to Southern New York. Sections of the Erie Lackawanna Railroad main line between Hornell and Binghamton were severely damaged. Light to moderate rainfall was reported in Florida, though no significant flooding occurred. It spawned a tornado in Maniwaki, Qubec, early that day, which killed two and injured 11people.
[3] Late on June17, it was noted that projected path indicated the possibly of landfall in western Cuba. In Kingston, only 30 of the 6,600 homes that comprised the town were left unscathed by the implacable fury of Hurricane Agnes. The height of the floodwaters has been marked in the entrance to the Corning Museum of Glass, showing that much of the museum was under water to a height of about 1.6 m above the floor, causing substantial damage to the collection and archives. Footage is included in the 1987 film Disasters-Anatomy of Destruction, hosted by George Kennedy. The hurricane's death toll was 128. For other storms of the same name, see, Hurricane Agnes near peak intensity in the, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, List of wettest tropical cyclones in the United States, Timeline of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season, "National Hurricane Center Bulletin 11:30 a.m. EDT Thursday", "National Hurricane Center Advisory Number 1 Tropical Storm Agnes", "National Hurricane Center Bulletin Tropical Storm Agnes", "National Hurricane Center Hurricane Bulletin Agnes 10 p.m. Saturday", "National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Advisory Number 14 Agnes", "National Hurricane Center Bulletin Tropical Depression Agnes 12:00 p.m. EDT Tuesday", "Tropical Cyclone Discussion Storm Agnes", National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "National Hurricane Center Hurricane Advisory Number 6", "National Hurricane Center Hurricane Advisory Number 9 Agnes", "National Hurricane Center Hurricane Advisory Number 10 Agnes", "National Hurricane Center Advisory Number 12", "National Hurricane Bulletin Tropical Storm Agnes", "1972 Press Photo flooded Shore Acres Street Hurricane Agnes", "Narrative Summary for Monthly Climatological Data Florida", "U.S. Hydrologic Atlas Along with the dike system, banks were lined with 13-15 foot levees. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format In addition, at least 100mobile homes suffered major damage. [20] Precipitation peaked at 7.94 inches (202mm) in Berkeley Springs. United States. [29] A train bound for Washington D.C. stopped due to flooding in Richmond, which temporarily stranded 537 passengers. The newly formed tropical storm turned northward on June 17 and continued to intensify. Homes and public utility plants were inundated, crops destroyed, and lives were interrupted all in a matter of a few days. [2] Throughout the state, Agnes spawned at least 15tornadoes, while several tornadoes were operationally unconfirmed. The storm completely destroyed 3,500 homes while damaging 64,000 houses in Pennsylvania; 13,000 of those homes were located in Wilkes-Barre. [23], Although no reports of abnormally high winds or rainfall exists in Ohio,[2] the storm caused minor damage to about 302dwellings and severely affected at least three houses. 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192, Flood of June 1972 Susquehanna River, Paxton Creek, and Conodoguinet Creek at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Statements|PSU Hotlines|Accessibility. PDF documents opened from your Copyright @2021 The Pennsylvania State University. The hurricane severely flooded the Susquehanna River and the Lackawanna River causing major damage to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton metropolitan area. LockA locked padlock The Fort Pitt Museum was deluged with four feet of water. Overall, more than 100people were left homeless and caused 23 injuries and over $500,000 in damage. The torrential downpour, combined with the 2-3 inches that battered the state in the week prior to June 23, resulted in truly fortuitous water levels in some parts. 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Parts of Corning were under more than 3 m of flood waters. The center of the storm moved offshore near Norfolk, Virginia, that evening, and it continued to regain strength over the western Atlantic Ocean. "Regardless of the energy sources and circulation dynamics that caused the floods, however, this devastation could not have occurred without the extreme importations of moisture to the area by the depression that had been Hurricane Agnes.". A lock () or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 215 Limekiln Road Quantity: 1 Add to Basket Paperback. National guard helicopters were used to rescue workmen from the roof of the Daniels' plant. Other locations that reported precipitations include 4.54 inches (115mm) in Albany, 3.95 inches (100mm) in Savannah, and 3.18 inches (81mm) in Macon. Commons Attribution 4.0 license. After moving inland, Agnes rapidly weakened and was only a tropical depression when it entered Georgia. The flooding was first reported in the early morning hours of June22 and water was reported as high as 40 feet (12m) above normal. The Susquehanna River crested at new record level 42.66 feet higher than the historic flooding in 1972 from Hurricane Agnes.
Damage in the state was minor, though low-lying streets in the Gulf Shores were flooded. At Cape San Antonio, the westernmost point in Cuba, precipitation reached 15.32 inches (389mm). The University of Rhode Island also noted the rising Susquehanna River flooded the Pennsylvania capital of Harrisburg, where the governor's mansion was submerged in floodwaters. [27], As a precaution, more than 8,000people in western Cuba, including on Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Pines), were evacuated. Along the coast abnormally high tides resulted in extensive damage, especially between Apalachicola and Cedar Key. For best results viewing and printing PDF documents, it is recommended that you download Banded convection developed in the northwestern Caribbean Sea by June11, though the system did not significantly organize. [21] Though the damage from both tornadoes combined was about $275,000,[24][25] the National Hurricane Center notes only $205,000 in losses. On June 22, Agnes made its second landfall just shy of hurricane strength on the western tip of Long Island, near New York City, with estimated winds of 70 mph. In Howard County, a total of 704 county residents were left homeless. [23], In the states immediately to the north of Florida, impact was relatively minor. While over eastern North Carolina, Agnes re-strengthened into a tropical storm on June21, as a result of baroclinic activity. Initially referred to as a "windstorm", one of those twisters destroyed 50mobile homes and a fishing camp in Okeechobee, as well as caused six fatalities. In the Georgetown section, waterfront streets along the Potomac River were submerged in as much as 7 feet (2.1m) of water. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The Interstate95 (I-95) Purple Heart Bridge over northern Virginia's Occoquan River was severely damaged and closed when rammed by a large barge carried by floodwaters.
Agnes quickly became an extratropical cyclone on June23, and tracked to the northwest of Great Britain, before being absorbed by another extratropical cyclone on July6. (PDF). In the Midstate, flooding occurred on the Several rivers rose to all-time record crests because of the heavy rains, which led to the inundation of homes, businesses, factories, bridges and other infrastructure, resulting in very significant damage. On June 23, 1972, Harrisburgs Patriot-News was canceled for the first time since it began in 1852. And the reaction is that we got a lot more water than we did in `72 with the Agnes flood.''. The makings of the hurricane, or Tropical Storm Agnes, were nothing more than a strong wind. Between July1 and July3, the long-lived system looped between Ireland and Iceland while weakening once more. A lock ( WebFlood worked hard to rebuild his district in the aftermath of the devastating flooding from Hurricane Agnes. For best results viewing and printing PDF documents, it is recommended that you download Just a few days prior to June 23, 1972, meteorologists spoke of the potential for light rain, a by-product of a distant tropical storm, to wash over north-central Pennsylvania. The Gwynn Oak Amusement Park closed after suffering severe damage from flooding when Hurricane Agnes caused Gwynns Falls to overflow. Topping 85 mph and just grazing over the Caribbean, it started to make its way up the Eastern seaboard.
In June 1972, tropical storm Agnes cause severe flooding in Pennsylvania and southern New York. Stretches of the swollen Susquehanna River began receding Friday after days of rainfall from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, forcing evauation order for nearly 100,000 people. John Robinson, 55, remembers helping clean up the soaking books at his flooded church in Harrisburg. [50], In Canada, Hurricane Agnes gave heavy rains and winds over southern Ontario and southern Quebec, causing numerous floodings around Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. In Elkridge, a family of six was forced from their home and they attempted to reach high ground in a small boat. Even as the river swelled and overwhelmed the landscape with scattered debris, the spirit of communities in devastated areas remained intact. Conversely, the existing Kinzua Dam, built against the wishes of the Seneca Nation of New York, spared much of Western Pennsylvania from the worst flooding, by filling the Allegheny Reservoir to capacity. Floods and High Water - 1936, Pennsylvania's greatest flood disaster in pictures. Download the latest version of Adobe Reader, free of charge. Perhaps it was a misconception regarding the severity of the circumstances that had lead some residents to make the decision to stay. [3] However, the depression was not operationally upgraded until sixteen hours later. Geological Survey Professional Paper 924. Emergency sirens wailed as turbid water surged through the streets doing little to quench the fires that roared above its surface. [49] However, some sources claim Agnes caused 16fatalities and reported 24people injured. The severe floods near Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, were the catalyst for the construction of the Tioga Reservoir in 1973. United States. Twentyof Maryland's 24counties were declared a disaster area. Furthermore, 118mobile homes were destroyed and 91were significantly affected. Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format This week marks the 50th anniversary of the historic, deadly flooding spawned by Hurricane Agnes and its remnants in June 1972 across the eastern U.S., including the hardest-hit states of Pennsylvania and New York. The carousel was moved and is still in operation on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. A popular footbridge in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park which led across a branch of the Potomac River to an overlook of Great Falls was washed away and not rebuilt until 1996. Farm buildings and small businesses also suffered extensively, with 2,226 and 5,842 structures experiencing major losses or were destroyed. The flooding in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and the adjacent town of Kingston led to the construction of a levee system that in 2006 successfully prevented massive flooding and, in the same year, was deemed very safe and protective by the Army Corps of Engineers. In June 1972, tropical storm Agnes cause severe flooding in Pennsylvania and southern New York. In Canada, a mobile home was toppled, killing two people. In Greenville, damage to basements, streets, and water systems occurred after the Reedy River overflowed. Feeding off the warm waters of the Caribbean, the depression reached tropical storm strength (winds of at least 39 mph) early on June 16. Due to a combination of high tides, rainfall, winds, and tornadoes, 96dwellings were destroyed, while about 1,802suffered damage to some degree. State College, PA328 Innovation Blvd, Suite 330State College, PA 16803(814)954-6440Comments? In some areas of Pennsylvania, the rainfall totals hit nine inches or more, on top of what was already a relatively wet summer. Official websites use .gov In the United States, Agnes affected 15states and the capital area of Washington D.C.
This article is about the 1972 Atlantic hurricane. A lock ( U.S. Three US Army Corps of Engineers were killed in Hornell when their helicopter came in contact with power lines over Crosby Creek. More information Agnes was one of the largest June hurricanes to ever roam the Atlantic Basin. Residents whose homes withstood the brutal waves were left with little consolation as almost all their belongings were water-damaged and caked with a thick layer of yellow mud. the documents to your computer and open them with Adobe Reader. National Weather Service By Saturday evening, the water levels had reached their peak. [41], Though the storm passed just west of some areas in New England, minimal impact in that region of the United States. Referring to the situation throughout the state, Governor Milton Shapp said, "Without a doubt, this is the worst disaster in the history of Pennsylvania.". [2] Due to high winds and flooding, at least 97houses were destroyed and another 270were damaged. In the Wilkes-Barre area, flood elevations exceeded those of 1865 and 1936 by about eight feet. (AP Photo) In 1974, the park's rides were auctioned off. Free shipping. [27] Overall, losses in Ohio totaled to at least $4million. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Consequently, at least 220,000people were left homeless. Though it moved slowly across the Yucatn Peninsula, the damage Agnes caused in Mexico is unknown. [5], After becoming a tropical storm on June16, Agnes slowly curved northward and approached the Yucatn Channel. WebIn June 1972, tropical storm Agnes caused severe flooding in Pennsylvania and southern New York. A flash flood hits Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on July 20, 1977, killing 84 people and causing millions of dollars in damages. Today marks the 40th anniversary of Tropical Storm Agnes, the 1972 deluge that is the worst natural disaster ever to hit the state of Pennsylvania. May 2022 . Rainfall in the state was light, peaking at 1.62 inches (41mm), also recorded in Hartford. [21] Northeasterly winds from the storm waves reaching a height of 15 feet (4.6m) along the shore of Lake Erie and also caused the water level to rise by 3.5 feet (1.1m). Thereafter, Agnes slowly curved northward and passed just west of Cuba on June17. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. That came first. Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format It should come as no surprise that the World Meteorological Organization voted to retire the name "Agnes" from being used again for a future Atlantic Basin tropical storm or hurricane, joining a list of 94 total retirees through 2021. Streets were converted to canals, as lakes seemed to sprout overnight throughout the region; tops of obscured structures and defeated streetlights and street signs poked through the surface of the water. Regardless of their reasoning, some families simply refused to leave their homes unprotected, whether from the flooding that was about to ensue or potential looters. The widespread flooding from this storm caused Agnes to be called the most destructive hurricane in United States history, claiming 117 lives and causing damage estimated at $3.1 billion in 12 States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Historical flooding can help a community anticipate how much impact similar flood events could have, but there are other methods and tools that can provide more accurate and nuanced estimations of a wide variety of flood A series of 28 digital flood-inundation maps was developed for an approximate 25-mile reach of the Susquehanna River in the vicinity of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Bucknell University and Earth Science Picture of the Day, Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Statement, About the Literary and Cultural Heritage Maps of Pennsylvania, Cities Under Water, Under Siege: Hurricane Agnes. Houses, cars, boats, buildings, ships, and docks in the vicinity of Lake Erie were damaged. In Baltimore, a woman's car was swept off a highway; firemen in rowboats were able to rescue her, but her three children drowned. In addition, 5,211mobile homes were either damaged or completely destroyed. [8] Two hours later, all gale warnings along the West Coast of Florida were discontinued.[17]. Not sensing the urgency, most believed Hurricane Agnes onset meant little more than light flooding in their basements. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District - Hurricane Agnes - 1972., Steven Herb, Ph.D., Founding Director (2000-2017), James McCready, Information Resources and Services Specialist. Agnes was, at the time, the costliest hurricane in the history of the United States, though it has since been surpassed by numerous other storms. Sharon Miers, a bureau case worker involved in relief efforts at the time of the flooding, confided to a Times Leader reporter that there was a lot of crying, a lot of patting on the shoulder. Map showing flood of June 1972 resulting from tropical storm Agnes, Bald Eagle and Fishing Creeks at Mill Hall, Pennsylvania (1972) Map showing flood of June 1972 resulting from tropical storm Agnes, Susquehanna River and Swatara Creek at Middletown, Pennsylvania (1972) In the town of Maniwaki, Quebec, the storm toppled a mobile home, killing two people.[51]. The system turned northeast, strengthening one more time while accelerating across the Hebrides on July4 through 5. It was the same story downriver in Plymouth Township, where floodwater swamped about 80 businesses and houses. $24.99. The Susquehanna Rivers susceptibility to flooding, particularly near Plymouth, prompted the United States Army Corps of Engineers to construct a dike system in the 1940s to prevent major destruction of the Wyoming Valley. Hurricane Agnes in 1972 was the costliest hurricane to hit the United States at the time, causing an estimated $2.1billion in damage. The hardest hit area was the Patapsco River valley, with widespread destruction of buildings, roads, and railroads in the state park, at Daniels including its mill,[36] at Ellicott City, and Oella. Maximum discharges were about 40 percent greater than those [2] In combination with rainfall and high tides, some coastal roads were flooded. Furthermore, a large swath of rainfall exceeding 10 inches (250mm) was reported in the central part of the state. [2] In the Washington, D.C. area, moderate rainfall was reported, with precipitation amounts peaking at 13.65 inches (347mm) at the Washington Dulles International Airport. Courtesy photo by the Pennsylvania Mirrors The Flood of 1972 In the Mill Run area of Logan Township, about 60 families were evacuated, according to Mirror records. [13] On the following day at 1600UTC, another hurricane watch was put into effective from Cedar Key to Pensacola. Though Agnes made landfall as a hurricane, no hurricane-force winds were reported. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. At least 2,082structures in Florida suffered either major damage or were destroyed. While over Georgia, the depression curved northeastward and eventually to the east-northeast after entering South Carolina.