Hurricane Galveston Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hurricane Galveston - Research Paper Example Had the people been informed earlier by the government, number of lives could be saved. After the massive destruction at the hands of hurricane, it was decided to build a wall admeasuring 15.6 feet above sea level to minimize the chances of destruction in a mass scale. This hurricane played havoc with the city besides inmates. The impressive thing was their determination to overcome the disaster. Case Study If we turn the pages of American history, we find two horrible hurricanes namely Dean and Felix that caused destructions in mass scale in the Central America. It was also noted that two category five hurricanes took place in the same year and on the same day. The southern tip of Baja California witnessed Hurricane Henrietta. The record of National Hurricane Center shows that for the first time Atlantic and Pacific hurricanes made landfall on the same day. A cursor look at the past events indicates such hurricanes that have taken place with greater intensity which badly hampered th e human lives for a considerable period of time. It would not be out of place to mention here that even the Columbus’ fourth voyage in 1502 hit hard by a colossal hurricane. The worst example of hurricane is sunken 20 treasure ships which claimed the lives of five hundred sailors on board in a nearby Spanish fleet. How can we forget the Katrina in 2005, the most devastating hurricane ever seen by the North American in recent history? You may surely consider Great Galveston Hurricane as a contender of 20th century. Galveston, Texas, in 1900 came to surface as a rising business place for the traders around the globe and a major seaport for exporting cotton to other continents in 1900. Comparatively it has the prominence edge over Houston with reference to Texan coast. Number of consulates Embassies, mansions contributed to build image of this city wherein 37,000 people are housed. Before Galveston Hurricane people and the government were not prepared to cope with the expected h urricane. People and the government were not expecting damages of the hurricane in a mass scale which shaken the very foundation of the city. People and the government thought it impossible that the hurricane will knock down at their doors. The geological survey in the late of August and early September found it across the Caribbean Sea, passing through Cuban and the Floridian territories. The inmates were of the view that it would make its roads to the northeast as soon as it is passed the Florida Straits north of Cuba. A common phenomena and a general accepted notion how tropical cyclones were supposed to treat that come in its way. It was not expected by the residents that it would continue travel to the west. The thunder storm which converted into hurricane past, Florida continues its journey to the northwest of Galveston. You may understand the havoc that played by the hurricane with this that it pushed a wall of water which was over 15 feet deep onto the island that, at its hi ghest point, was only 8.7 feet above sea level. The wind lashes were estimated to be Category 4 speeds i.e. 131-155 mph. As per the calculation a 150 mph gust would have a capacity to build pressure of 100 pounds per square foot. The recorded lowest barometric pressure during the storm admeasured 28.44 inches. (NOAA later estimated that the pressure near the storm's eye was probably closer to 27.49 inches.) The 9th September,