A Terrifying, Deadly Storm Struck Virginia In 1969… And No One Saw It Coming

The year was 1969. The Atlantic hurricane season was in full force, and Virginia was unknowingly about to experience one of its deadliest storms to date: Hurricane Camille. On August 14th, a tropical storm formed, just scraping the western edge of Cuba and then rapidly growing into one of the deadliest hurricanes in history. By the time the storm reached the Gulf Shore, it had attained category 5 status. Most expected the storm to lose momentum after having passed the Appalachian range; however, it created unforeseen damage in Virginia. None could have anticipated the amount of rainfall and flooding that was about to hit.

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Here we have footage of Camille forming off the Gulf of Mexico, and rapidly gaining momentum as it headed west.

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Although the hurricane's winds were certainly high, it was the unprecedented rainfall that caused the most damage. Those who were affected recall that it was raining so hard it was difficult to see. Nelson County was hit the hardest, with 27 inches of rain recorded in less than 6 hours. This level of flash flooding caused massive trees and even houses to uproot and float away. Many people were swept away in the flooding, and some survived just by holding on to tree branches.

The Library of Virginia/flickr

The aftermath of the hurricane was truly a spectacle. Residents awoke the next morning to see a world turned completely upside down. This was the kind of storm that happens only once in a thousand years. In this photograph, people are gathering on Richmond's 9th street bridge to see the incredibly high level of the James River.

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This photograph shows damage done to the bridge that was formerly Rt. 626 in Howardsville.

The Library of Virginia/flickr

Nearly 160 were lost in this tragic and deadly storm. Most lost their lives due to the flash flooding and the momentum of massive uprooted trees. According to hydrographic analysis, waters moved at up to 36 million gallons per minute.

This video provides in-depth coverage of Camille’s effect on Virginia.

Although Hurricane Camille happened over 45 years ago, many who were effected by the storm remember the tragic event like it happened just yesterday. If you were in Virginia during this time, what do you remember most about the storm?