The 7 Deadly Tropical Storms of 2008

Hurricane Ike Causes Dozens More Deaths in Storm-Battered Haiti

By Dan Shapley

Hurricane Hanna

tropical storm hanna, deadlystorms Tropical Storm Hanna Hurricane Hanna, which formed Sept. 1, only briefly achieved hurricane strength, but led to at least 163 deaths in Haiti. One account put the death toll above 500. The storm, shown here Sept. 5 before landfall near the South Carolina-North Carolina border, also soaked the U.S. East Coast.

Hurricane Gustav

hurricane gustav, deadlystorms, 2008storms Hurricane Gustav

Tropical Storm Gustav formed August 25 and reached hurricane strength Aug. 26 before making landfall in Haiti, killing at least 67 there and in the Dominican Republic.

\r\n\r\n

New Orleans and surrounding areas on the U.S. Gulf Coast evacuated ahead of the storm, but Hurricane Gustav was still blamed for as many as eight deaths.

Hurricane Ike

hurricane ike, haiti, deadlystorms Hurricane Ike on Sept. 7 2008 Hurricane Ike, which has to date been the most powerful hurricane of 2008, caused at least 58 more deaths in storm-battered Haiti, before moving on to Cuba. From there, it was expected to swamp the Florida Keys, and then make landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast, possibly interrupting oil supplies in the process.

Tropical Storm Fay

tropical storm fay, deadlystorms Tropical Storm Fay on Aug 21

Tropical Storm Fay, seen here on Aug. 21, formed Aug. 15 off the coast of the Dominican Republic, and killed 23 there and in Haiti before making a record four landfalls in Florida.

\r\n\r\n

The storm was blamed for as many as 14 deaths in Florida, and one each in Georgia and Alabama.

Hurricane Dolly

hurricane dolly, deadlystorms Hurricane Dolly on July 23

Tropical Storm Dolly formed in the Western Caribbean on July 20. It would make landfall in the Yucatan peninsula, killing at least 17, before moving into the Gulf of Mexico and growing into a Category 2 hurricane by July 23 before making landfall in Texas.

\r\n\r\n

While the storm quickly dissipated over land, it brought extreme rains, flooding, more than $1 billion in damages and one death.