Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew first inflicted structural damage as it moved through the Bahamas, especially in Cat Cays, lashing the islands with storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and tornadoes. About 800 houses were destroyed in the archipelago, and there was substantial damage to the transport, water, sanitation, agriculture, and fishing sectors. Andrew left four dead and $250 million in damage throughout the Bahamas. In parts of southern Florida, Andrew produced severe winds; a wind gust of 177 mph (282 km/h) was observed at a house in Perrine. The cities of Florida City, Homestead, and Cutler Ridge received the brunt of the storm. As many as 1.4 million people lost power at the height of the storm. In the Everglades, 70,000 acres (280 km) of trees were downed, while invasive Burmese pythons began inhabiting the region after a nearby facility housing them was destroyed. Rainfall in Florida was substantial, peaking at 13.98 inches (355 mm) in western Dade County. In Florida, Andrew killed 44 and left a record $25 billion in damage.
1980 Atlantic hurricane season
Although 500 houses were either damaged or destroyed on Barbados, losses totaled to only $1.5 million (1980 USD). Having passed only south of St. Lucia, Allen produced sustained winds as high as on the island. The storm caused 27 fatalities and $88 million (1980 USD) in damage on that island. In addition, one death was reported in Guadeloupe. High winds and flooding in Haiti left 836,200 people homeless. In addition, 220 deaths were reported and damage exceeded $400 million (1980 USD). To the east in Dominican Republic, effects were less severe, though seven deaths were reported and damage was estimated at $47 million (1980 USD). On the island of Cuba, three fatalities occurred and losses were unknown. In northeastern Mexico, heavy rainfall occurred, though damage was minimal and no fatalities were reported. Damage was most significant in the United States, especially in the state of Texas. In Corpus Christi, gravel blew off the roofs, which broke windows throughout the city. Several tornadoes were spawned in Texas, one of which caused $100 million (1980 USD) in damage in Austin. Rainfall in the state of Texas exceeded in some locations. 24 fatalities occurred in the United States – seven in Texas and seventeen in Louisiana – most resulting from the crash of a helicopter evacuating workers from an offshore platform. Damage in United States totaled to $860 million (1980 USD). Overall, Hurricane Allen caused $1.57 billion (1980 USD) in losses and caused 290 deaths.