1928 Lake Okeechobee Hurricane Memorial Statue

On the evening of September 16, 1928 a strong cat-4 Hurricane crashed into the east coast of Palm Beach County Florida with sustained winds of 140-MPH and a low pressure reading of 27.43-inches. When the storm moved inland and reached the Lake Okeechobee area later that night, the strong winds piled the water up at the South end of the lake, topping the levee and drowning 2500 people who lived in towns such as Belle Glade, Chosen, Pahokee and Bean City. In 1976 this beautiful 8-ton, 6-foot bronze statue was dedicated in remembrance to the people that died in the second deadliest Hurricane to ever strike the United States.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Hurricanes
• 1928 Florida Hurricane
• Storm Chasing

[allprolegal]

Your history isn't quite right. There were no dikes around the lake in 1928.

The hurricane winds forced the shallow lake water away from the eastern shore of the lake and into the western shore, like a wind-driven mini-tsunami. When the eye-wall passed, residents on the eastern shore ventured out into the lake bed to marvel at the wonder. The water quickly rushed back to the east when the wind pushing it away died down and thousands were lost in the "reverse tsunami".

Some were family.

[moviemagg]

@allprolegal You are correct! There was no dike at that time. The strong winds piled the water up at the South end of the lake topping the levee and drowning close to 2500 migrant farm workers. After the storm, the Hoover Dike was built with a grade elevation of 30 feet. Thanks for the correction.

[JWnFL]

the number of people was closer to 10,000 PLUS!