A day Mississippi will never forget.
On this date in 1969, Hurricane Camille made landfall near Waveland, Mississippi as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane. It remains one of the most powerful storms ever to strike the United States. With estimated winds of 175 mph and a devastating 24.6-foot storm surge, Camille forever changed communities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It was the benchmark storm for 30+ years before Katrina in 2005.
The destruction did not end at the coast. Camille’s remnants later caused catastrophic flooding and mudslides in Virginia. In all, 259 people lost their lives, including 172 in Mississippi.
READ MORE:A Day Mississippi Will Never Forget: Remembering Hurricane Camille
