Hurricane Camille

Template:Short description Template:Pp-semi-indef Template:Use mdy dates Template:Other storms Template:Infobox weather eventTemplate:Infobox weather event/NWSTemplate:Infobox weather event/EffectsTemplate:Infobox weather event/Footer Hurricane Camille was an extremely powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that was one of four Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes to make landfall in the contiguous United States, moving ashore in southern Mississippi in August 1969. The third named storm of the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season, Camille originated as a tropical depression on August 14 south of Cuba from a long-tracked tropical wave. Amid favorable conditions, Camille strengthened and struck western Cuba the next day as a Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. After it emerged into the Gulf of Mexico, Camille strengthened further, first into a major hurricane,Template:Refn and later into a Category 5 hurricane, late on August 16. After briefly weakening, the hurricane intensified as it approached the northern gulf coastline, reaching maximum sustained winds of Template:Convert and a minimum pressure of Template:Convert as it moved ashore near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Camille's landfall intensity, as measured by pressure, was the second-lowest recorded for the continental United States, only behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. Throughout the United States, Camille killed at least 301 people, and contributed to 55 indirect fatalities, most of them from cardiovascular failure. The hurricane also caused at least $1.42 billion in damages.Template:Refn This made it the most expensive hurricane in the country, just ahead of Hurricane Betsy in 1965.

Before entering the Gulf of Mexico, Camille brought high winds and caused major river flooding to parts of Cuba, killing at least five people. After the hurricane intensified over the Gulf of Mexico, the United States Weather Bureau issued widespread hurricane warnings and watches from Louisiana to Florida. Off the coast, Camille's strong winds produced high waves that destroyed three oil platforms and flooded several others. In southern Mississippi where it moved ashore, the hurricane produced the largest storm surge in American history at the time, with a high tide of Template:Convert recorded at Pass Christian; it was later surpassed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The storm surge and high winds caused tremendous damage, flattening nearly everything along the Mississippi coast and portions of southeast Louisiana. In Mississippi, 137 people died, while another nine died in Louisiana. The winds caused severe damage along its path in southwest Mississippi, damaging buildings and devastating the region's agriculture.

The hurricane weakened quickly as it pushed inland, falling below hurricane strength north of Jackson, Mississippi and weakening further to a tropical depression over Tennessee. In parts of Mississippi and Tennessee, the rains helped end drought conditions. However, as Camille tracked through the Ohio Valley as a tropical depression, it generated severe thunderstorms that led to a cloudburst over parts of Virginia. The highest rainfall total was Template:Convert, recorded in a trash barrel near Massies Mill; this was the highest rainfall recorded in the state related to a tropical cyclone. The rains led to damaging floods across the Appalachian Mountains, killing over 153 people in Virginia and another two people in West Virginia. After emerging into the western Atlantic Ocean, Camille restrengthened to a strong tropical storm before becoming extratropical on August 22. The name Camille was retired after its usage.

Meteorological history

Template:Storm path Hurricane Camille originated from a tropical wave that emerged off the coast of West Africa near Dakar, Senegal, on August 5, 1969.<ref name="mwr"/><ref name="thebigmap">Template:Cite journal</ref> The wave quickly moved westward along the 15th parallel north, tracked by satellite imagery. On August 9, the associated thunderstorms concentrated into a circular area of convection while located about 500 mi (800 km) east of the Lesser Antilles. On the next day, the wave moved through the island chain and continued into the Caribbean Sea. By August 13, its convection spread from near Jamaica to the northeast through the Bahamas, although there was no evidence of a circulation that day. The thunderstorm developed banding features, and although it is unclear exactly when tropical cyclogenesis occurred, a tropical depression formed around 00:00 UTC on August 14.Template:Refn At the time, it was located roughly halfway between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.<ref name="mwr">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":1" /> The depression quickly intensified into a tropical storm, named Camille by the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The development was confirmed when the Hurricane Hunters observed an intensifying tropical storm on August 14 with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h), located about Template:Convert west-northwest of Grand Cayman.<ref name="mwr"/><ref name="tcr">Template:Cite report</ref>

Upon being classified as a tropical storm, Camille was located within an area conducive for further strengthening, with light wind shear and warm, moist air coming from the south. The circulation to the north was amplified by a cold core low over the Mississippi Valley, while a narrow ridge of high pressure existed northeast of the storm. The NHC later wrote that "it was apparent almost from the outset that Camille would be an explosively deepening storm."<ref name="mwr"/> The storm attained hurricane status by 06:00 UTC on August 15. Camille moved northwestward toward western Cuba, described by the NHC as "small but potent", as it was tracked by radar from Havana. Late on August 15, the hurricane attained its first peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of Template:Convert. At 22:00 UTC that day, Camille struck western Cuba between Cape San Antonio and Guane. It weakened slightly over land, and within a few hours, the hurricane emerged into the Gulf of Mexico, where it began re-intensifying. Initially, the NHC anticipated that Camille would turn to the north and northeast, forecasting that the hurricane would eventually move ashore the Florida panhandle. Instead, Camille continued northwestward and resumed its rapid intensification trend after leaving Cuba. The hurricane's structure evolved further as strong feeder rainbands developed in each direction. In the center of Camille, the hurricane's eye contracted to a diameter of less than Template:Convert, equating to a 9 mi (15 km) radius of maximum winds. Late on August 16, Camille attained peak winds of Template:Convert, while located about 300 mi (490 km) west of Key West, Florida. This made it a Category 5 on the modern-day Saffir-Simpson scale. The intensity was based on observations from the Hurricane Hunters, which initially had difficulty measuring the intensity in the eye due to the small size. The flight observed a minimum atmospheric pressure of Template:Convert, which at the time was the lowest pressure recorded by reconnaissance aircraft. Another flight around 00:00 UTC on August 17 recorded a slightly deeper central pressure of Template:Convert.<ref name="mwr"/><ref name=":1" /><ref name="tcr"/>

Radar loop of Hurricane Camille undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle before making landfall in Mississippi late on August 17

As it continued toward the Gulf Coast of the United States, Camille maintained a small eye, which began to undergo an eyewall replacement cycle. Observations from the Hurricane Hunters indicated that Camille weakened slightly, dropping to Category 4 status late on August 17. The flight observed a central pressure of Template:Convert, before the plane was forced to end its mission early due to a damaged engine.<ref name="mwr" /> Camille subsequently re-intensified as it neared the coast. From 02:30–03:30 UTC on August 18, the hurricane moved across marshlands in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, while the center of Camille remained just offshore the state. At 04:30 UTC that day,Template:Refn Camille made landfall at Waveland, Mississippi with peak winds of Template:Convert. As Camille moved ashore, an observer in Bay St. Louis measured a minimum pressure of Template:Convert on the edge of the eye. Based on this data, a reanalysis in 2014 by the Hurricane Research Division concluded that Camille made landfall with a minimum central pressure of Template:Convert.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Within 14 hours of moving ashore, Camille weakened to tropical storm status, as the track shifted to the north. It curved around the western periphery of the ridge near Bermuda. At 10:00 UTC on August 18, the NHC discontinued advisories while the center of Camille was located near Jackson, Mississippi. After moving across Mississippi, the storm weakened into a tropical depression over Tennessee on August 19, by which time Camille began a turn to the northeast. By this time, the track was influenced by a stationary cold front that extended from Nebraska to North Dakota. On August 20, the circulation accelerated eastward, moving through parts of Kentucky, West Virginia, and later Virginia.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="tcr"/><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> After moving through the Blue Ridge Mountains, Camille began to re-intensify despite still being over land as it encountered an area of higher moisture content.<ref name="usgs"/><ref name="thirty"/> Late on August 20, it emerged into the Atlantic Ocean near Norfolk, and by 18:00 that day Camille regained tropical storm intensity. On August 21, Camille reached a secondary peak intensity of Template:Convert, as it accelerated to the northeast. Affected by cooler, drier air, Camille weakened over the north Atlantic Ocean, before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone on August 22. Later that day, the circulation became absorbed by a cold front while located south of Newfoundland.<ref name="mwr"/><ref name="tcr" /><ref name=":1" />

Records

Template:Most intense Atlantic hurricanes Camille produced the eighth lowest official sea level pressure ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, at Template:Convert.<ref name="HURDAT" /> This was also its landfall pressure; the only hurricane to hit the United States with a lower pressure at landfall was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="costliest"/> The wind speed of Camille can only be approximated, as no meteorological equipment survived the extreme conditions at landfall, but a reanalysis in April 2014 estimated that Camille had maximum sustained winds of Template:Convert.<ref name=":1"/> As of 2018, Camille was one of only four Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes to make landfall on the continental United States at that intensity. The others were the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, Hurricane Andrew of 1992, and Hurricane Michael of 2018.<ref name="michael">Template:Cite report</ref>

When Camille moved ashore Mississippi, it produced the highest storm surge recorded in the continental United States at the time. The powerful waves destroyed most tidal gauges near the coast. Based on the debris levels in Pass Christian, Camille produced tides as high as Template:Convert. The high water mark for an enclosed building was Template:Convert, recorded at a Veterans of Foreign Wars building in town.<ref name="usgs70"/> Camille's record storm surge was later surpassed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which produced a high water mark of Template:Convert, also in Pass Christian.<ref name="KatrinaTCR">Template:Cite report</ref>

After moving across the south-central United States, Camille dropped torrential rainfall in central Virginia that reached at least Template:Convert, recorded in a trash barrel near Massies Mill. This was the highest rainfall recorded in the state from a tropical cyclone.<ref name="rain"/><ref name="usgs"/>

Naming background

In the 1960s, there were four lists of feminine given names used for Atlantic hurricanes, with each list being used every fourth year.<ref name="GP August 07">Template:Cite web</ref> The practice of retiring hurricane names was meant to be temporary, with the guideline that a name be retired for ten years. When the name Carla was retired in 1961, it was replaced on the 1965 list with Carol, a name retired in 1954 when its namesake devastated New England. Since over a decade had passed, Carol was eligible for reuse. Carol entered the 1969 list, but scientists from the National Hurricane Research Laboratory (NHRL) asked the naming committee in January 1969 to permanently retire Carol, Edna, and Hazel since papers were still being written about the storms. The committee agreed but needed a replacement "C" name. John Hope's daughter Camille was involved in an advanced science and math program in high school and had carried out a required independent research project. John Hope asked Banner Miller to mentor her in her investigation of hurricanes and long-term atmospheric trends. Miller was impressed by her project and suggested her name for the list. "We kept it quiet for many years," Camille said in a circa 2014 interview.<ref name="noaa hrd">Template:Cite web</ref>

Preparations

National Hurricane Center Track Forecasts for Camille from western Cuba onward. The system's actual track is marked by the line farthest to the west.

Shortly after Camille formed, the National Hurricane Center advised residents on the Isle of Pines and in western Cuba to prepare for gale-force winds, heavy rains, and rising tides. The agency also recommended small boats to remain in harbor.<ref name="tcr"/> The threat of the storm prompted officials to evacuate thousands along the western coast of Cuba and on the Isle of Pines; on the island, 10,000 cattle and 6,000 turkeys were moved to safer areas.<ref name="ap817">Template:Cite web</ref>

On August 14 upon Camille's first advisories, the Weather Bureau alerted the Army Corps Mobile District about a possible hurricane emergency in a few days. This gave days of warning to move offshore barges and other vessels to safer harbor.<ref name="usgs70"/> Power companies also began making plans upon the hurricane's formation, such as gathering electric repair workers from nearby states to be ready.<ref name="industry"/> Beginning on August 15, the NHC warned small boats not to sail far from the southern Florida coasts, and later that day extended the same warnings to mariners along the Florida panhandle and Alabama coast. The agency's initial forecasts anticipated that Camille would move farther east than the hurricane's eventual track. On August 16, the NHC issued a hurricane watch between Biloxi, Mississippi to St. Marks, Florida. Part of the region was upgraded to a hurricane warning between Fort Walton Beach and St. Marks, Florida. The hurricane warning was extended westward, first to Biloxi, and later to Grand Isle, Louisiana, giving residents about 15 hours of notice before landfall. The NHC warned for the potential of coastal flooding, heavy rainfall, tornadoes, and strong winds, warning for the potential of Template:Convert storm tides along the Mississippi coast.<ref name="adm"/>

Ahead of the storm, workers at Keesler Air Force Base (AFB) and the Naval Construction Battalion Center prepared by boarding up windows, securing vents, and moving outdoor furniture, before moving to the bases' shelters. All aircraft, including 17 T-28 Trojans and five C-47 Skytrains, were flown to Perrin Air Force Station in Texas to avoid the hurricane.<ref name="keesler">Template:Cite report</ref> The Weather Bureau issued evacuation warnings on August 17 between Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama.<ref name="adm"/> About 200,000 people evacuated their homes in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The evacuees utilized hotels, the houses of friends and relatives, or the 263 shelters across the region.<ref name="usgs70"/> Among the evacuees were about 99% of residents along the Mississippi gulf coast below an elevation of Template:Convert.<ref name="adm"/> Complications during evacuations included residents' skepticism of the predicted Template:Convert winds or Template:Convert storm tide, as well as confusion over the hurricane's anticipated landfall. Television coverage for the New Orleans media market underplayed the specifics of the impacts, while a few radio stations broadcast outdated weather reports.<ref name="adm"/><ref name="thirty"/> Several people were arrested for refusing to evacuate, while other residents stayed behind, riding out the storm in their attics.<ref name="upi818"/> As winds picked up, the mayor of Gulfport ordered all prisoners to be released from the city jail but none would leave.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> More than 44,000 people sheltered in Mississippi, including about 15,000 people who stayed at Keesler AFB.<ref name="adm"/> Nearly all of Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes in Louisiana were evacuated by the time Camille moved ashore.<ref name="usgs70"/> Police officers and volunteers helped warn residents of the approaching storm, while television and radio stations broadcast alerts.<ref name="adm">Template:Cite report</ref>

After Camille weakened and moved inland, local weather bureau offices continued to monitor the storm; however, the mountainous parts of Virginia were outside of the weather radar at the time. Forecasters predicted upwards of Template:Convert of rainfall for the region.<ref name="virflo">Template:Cite report</ref> Due to the lack of real-time rainfall information, forecasters were unable to issue flood warnings in mountainous regions of Virginia.<ref name="usgs"/> Downed telephone lines prevented reports from reaching the weather bureau office, leaving most communities unaware of the flood threat. Local police and volunteers warned people about the floods and assisted in evacuations. In Covington, the city evacuated due to a water gauge recording system, set up in 1958. Similarly, Buena Vista residents were able to evacuate due to reports from the river gauges.<ref name="virflo"/> Richmond had about 24 hours of warning before the arrival of the floods. The city was able to implement its flood disaster plan, which included closing dykes and evacuating low-lying areas.<ref name="mwr"/><ref name="usgs"/><ref name="virflo"/>

Impact

Effects of Hurricane Camille by area

Country	Deaths	Damage (USD)	Ref.
Cuba	Template:Nts	Template:Ntsp	<ref name="pdfnoaa"/>
United States	>Template:NtsTemplate:Refn	Template:Ntsp	<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name="vafl"/><ref name="costliest">Template:Cite report</ref>
Mississippi	>Template:Nts	Template:Ntsp	<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name="mwr"/>
Louisiana	Template:Nts	Template:Ntsp	<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name="mwr"/>
Virginia	>Template:Nts	Template:Ntsp	<ref name="vafl"/><ref name="mwr"/>
Offshore Gulf of Mexico	Template:Nts	Template:Ntsp	<ref name="Oil&Gas"/>
Alabama	Template:Nts	Template:Ntsp	<ref name="mwr"/>
West Virginia	Template:Nts	Template:Ntsp	<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name="mwr"/>
Florida	0	$500,000	<ref name="mob" />
Total	>Template:Nts	Template:Ntsp
Because of differing sources, totals may not match.

Hurricane Camille caused damage and destruction from Cuba, the southeastern United States with a landfall in Mississippi, and into Virginia. The NHC described that Camille "[ranked] as the most destructive of all hurricanes." The total U.S. estimated cost of damage was $1,420,750,000, which made Camille the country's most expensive at the time, slightly surpassing 1965's Hurricane Betsy when unadjusted for inflation.<ref name="mwr"/><ref name="costliest"/> Throughout the United States, Camille killed 343 people, including 288 directly, across Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia, and West Virginia.<ref name=":2" /> There were many indirect deaths after the storm. A 2016 examination of death certificates in Mississippi and Virginia identified 55 indirect fatalities, most of them from cardiovascular failure.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite journal</ref> In addition, a plane crashed during takeoff at New Orleans' Lakefront Airport, killing four people, while carrying supplies to the Mississippi coast.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Along the United States gulf coast, Camille had a variety of damaging effects that impacted agriculture, housing, transportation, and utilities.<ref name="tcr"/> From Alabama to Louisiana, the hurricane left an estimated 200,000 people homeless.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> From Louisiana to Mobile Bay, all Coast Guard buoys were moved or damaged, which disrupted navigation and cost $1.2 million to repair.<ref name="tcr"/><ref name="usgs70"/> The powerful waves submerged and eroded nearly all of the barrier islands offshore Mississippi and Alabama. Pelican Island, located off Alabama's Dauphin Island, completely disappeared following the hurricane.<ref name="usgs70"/> The waves cut Mississippi's Ship Island in two by creating an inlet later known as Camille Cut, after about Template:Convert of land was eroded.<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name="camillecut">Template:Cite web</ref> Nearly every pier along the gulf in Alabama and Mississippi was destroyed, and many piers in Florida were damaged.<ref name="usgs70"/> The hurricane washed out about Template:Convert of Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N) track from New Orleans to Pascagoula, Mississippi.<ref name="tcr"/>

Caribbean and Offshore Gulf of Mexico

While making its first landfall in Cuba, Camille produced winds of Template:Convert in the city of Guane.<ref name="usgs70"/> Rainfall reached Template:Convert in western Cuba and nearby Isla de la Juventud, also known as Isle of Pines.<ref name="tcr"/> On Isla de la Juventud, the storm inflicted damage to about 100 houses.<ref name="ap817"/> Throughout Pinar del Río Province, Camille caused heavy damage, primarily from river flooding;<ref name="ap818">Template:Cite web</ref> about 20,000 people were left homeless in the province.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Five people died in Cuba during Camille's passage, and damage was estimated at $5 million.<ref name="pdfnoaa">Template:Cite journal</ref>

In the open Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane produced wave heights of Template:Convert, as measured by Shell Oil Company. This greatly exceeded the predicted maximum wave heights of Template:Convert when the oil platforms were first built. Along the ocean floor, the storm created mudslides, and the combination with strong waves and winds destroyed three oil platforms, including one that at the time was the deepest oil well. Property damages to the offshore oil industry were initially estimated at $100 million.<ref name="Oil&Gas">Template:Cite web</ref> The strongest winds associated with Camille were recorded by an anemometer on a drilling rig off the eastern Louisiana coast; the device recorded a gust of Template:Convert, along with 10-minute sustained winds of Template:Convert, before it failed.<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name=":1" /> Several oil platforms foundered, or filled with water, while pipelines were wrecked by the strong waves.<ref name="tcr"/>

Louisiana

Road damage along U.S. Highway 90

While near peak intensity, Camille's eye crossed over the marshlands of eastern St. Bernard Parish. Due to the lack of dry land in the vicinity, it was not considered a landfall, although Camille still produced Category 5 hurricane-force winds in eastern Louisiana.<ref name=":1"/> Wind gusts were estimated as high as Template:Convert in Slidell.<ref name="usgs70"/> The city also recorded the state's highest rainfall from Camille, totaling Template:Convert.<ref name="lahur">Template:Cite report</ref>Template:Tropical Cyclone Rainfall for the Gulf Coast Two people drowned in Slidell after driving into a flooded canal during the hurricane.<Ref name="sd869"/> Near New Orleans, Lakefront Airport recorded wind gusts of Template:Convert.<ref name="mwr"/> Aside from eastern sections of the city, most of New Orleans only experienced tropical storm-force winds.<ref name="tcr"/> Two levees broke in the city, forcing residents across twelve blocks to evacuate.<ref name="upi818"/> Outside of the city, wind gusts in Boothville reached Template:Convert before the instrument lost power.<ref name="mwr"/> In Boothville, floodwaters reached Template:Convert deep,<ref name="tcr"/> while the Ostrica Lock near Buras recorded a storm surge of Template:Convert.<ref name="lahur"/> Camille's storm surge reached several hundred miles inland along the Mississippi River.<ref>Template:Cite conference</ref> The barometric pressure fell to Template:Convert at Garden Island.<ref name="mwr"/>

Throughout Louisiana, the hurricane killed nine people, and left $322 million in damage.<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name="mwr"/> The combination of strong northerly winds and floodwaters nearly destroyed everything from Venice to Buras, "removing almost all traces of civilization", according to the weather bureau.<ref name="tcr"/> Statewide, Camille damaged 8,175 homes and trailers, including 2,435 that were destroyed. The hurricane also damaged or destroyed 211 farm buildings and 110 businesses.<ref name="mwr"/> Strong winds knocked down trees and power lines across the region.<ref name="lahur"/> Agriculture industries experienced damage, while at least 5,000 cows drowned.<ref name="tcr"/> The state's citrus industry failed to produce any output in 1969, a continuation of the dearth of citrus production since Hurricane Betsy in 1965.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> At least 94 ships in the Mississippi River sank or washed ashore.<ref name="tcr"/> Water washed over portions of U.S. Highway 90 to a depth of Template:Convert.<ref name="lahur"/> The worst storm surge flooding occurred in Plaquemines Parish and lower St. Bernard Parish. Several feet of surge also occurred along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain and around Grand Isle.<ref name="usgs70">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In Boothville-Venice, the combination of winds and storm surge destroyed the local weather bureau office, fire station, and school.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="mwr" /> The storm turned in time to avoid a direct hit to the City of New Orleans, which was devastated just four years prior by Hurricane Betsy. New Orleans still saw impacts from the storm despite it missing the city. A break in the uptown side of the Industrial Canal levee caused up to Template:Convert of flooding.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Strong winds damaged storefronts in the downtown area and small planes at Lakefront Airport.<ref name="nola"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Mississippi

Two large ships – the Alamo Victory and the Hulda, beached in Gulfport, Mississippi

Camille made landfall in southern Mississippi as a Category 5 hurricane, producing powerful winds and a significant storm surge.<ref name=":1"/> The powerful waves destroyed most tidal gauges near the coast. Based on the debris levels in Pass Christian, Camille produced tides as high as Template:Convert. The high water mark for an enclosed building was Template:Convert, recorded at a Veterans of Foreign Wars building in town.<ref name="mwr"/><ref name=":1"/><ref name="usgs70"/> Camille produced the highest ever storm surge in American history until it was surpassed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.<ref name="agupubs">Template:Cite journal</ref> Floodwaters reached Template:Convert upstream the lower Pascagoula and Jourdan rivers.<ref name="usgs70"/> In addition to its high tides, the hurricane produced heavy rainfall as it moved ashore. A station at the NASA Mississippi Test Operations site near Picayune measured Template:Convert of precipitation, which was the highest rainfall total in the state.<ref name="mwr" />Template:Tropical Cyclone Rainfall for the Gulf Coast An anemometer near the site measured winds of Template:Convert at a height of Template:Convert for an extended period and the facility also estimated wind gusts as high as Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref><ref name="usgs70"/> There were no direct wind observations near the landfall location; however, researchers estimated that wind gusts might have reached Template:Convert.<ref name="usgs70"/> The Monthly Weather Review described the resulting impacts as "characteristic of the wind damage ordinarily associated with major tornadoes." Keesler AFB in Biloxi recorded Template:Convert wind gusts.<ref name="mwr" /> About four hours after landfall, an anemometer in Columbia recorded sustained winds of Template:Convert.<ref name=":1"/> Farther inland, wind gusts in Jackson reached Template:Convert.<ref name="mwr"/> Camille also produced a tornado that touched down in Waynesboro.<ref name="mob">Template:Cite web</ref>

In Mississippi, Camille killed 137 people, while also inflicting about $950 million worth of damage.<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name="mwr"/> There were at least 116 deaths in Harrison County alone.<Ref name="sd869"/> Within the immediate landfall vicinity, the hurricane's winds and floodwaters swept away all homes and structures down to their foundations.<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name="mwr"/> The hurricane destroyed nearly everything along the entire coast in the state for at least three blocks inland, while the entire towns of Pass Christian and Long Beach were nearly destroyed. Other communities amongst the hardest hit were Clermont Harbor, Lakeshore, and Waveland, along with coastal portions of Gulfport, Mississippi City, and Biloxi.<ref name="usgs70"/> The hurricane produced widespread power outages, affecting 20 counties in the state, including some that lost power for 15 days.<Ref name="usgs70"/> Downed power lines produced several small fires.<ref name="industry"/> Mississippi Power Company lost parts of its transmission network, and restorations were hampered by downed trees and debris. About 15% of telephone users across the state lost service during the hurricane.<ref name="usgs70"/> Statewide, the hurricane damaged 46,460 homes and trailers, including 4,287 that were destroyed. Camile also destroyed or severely damaged 2,647 farm buildings and 569 businesses in the state.<ref name="mwr" /> In Gulfport alone, over 5,000 automobiles were damaged beyond repair.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite report</ref> Across Mississippi's southernmost 15 counties, the hurricane damaged Template:Convert of commercial forestlands to some degree.<ref name="usgs70"/> Most affected was the tung industry, as the hurricane destroyed more than 35,000 acres of tung trees,<ref name="usgs70"/> which contributed to the end of the tung oil industry in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Strong winds knocked down the equivalent of about 1.2 billion board feet (2.8 million km²) worth of lumber, of which more than 85% was salvageable. Many pecan orchards were also damaged.<ref name="usgs70"/> Near the coast, more than 6,000 oak trees died due to the combination of waves, winds, and salt spray.<ref name="eco"/> Crop damage occurred as far north as Hattiesburg.<ref name="survey">Template:Cite report</ref>

Camille had its most significant impacts near the coast. Large portions of U.S. 90 were damaged or blocked by sand and debris. At Pass Christian, the waves destroyed about 35% of the town's seawall.<Ref name="usgs70"/> The Richelieu Manor Apartments were destroyed, killing eight people there; the apartments inspired an urban legend that 24 residents rode out the storm and held a hurricane party.<ref name="party">Template:Cite news</ref> The hurricane also destroyed the town's Trinity Episcopal church, originally built in 1849, which killed 15 of the 16 people who took shelter there.<ref name="nola">Template:Cite web</ref> The Dixie White House, where President Woodrow Wilson and his family once stayed, was badly damaged, and subsequently torn down after the hurricane.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Also in town, the hurricane destroyed a house designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In Bay St. Louis, the hurricane destroyed a L&N railroad bridge. The port at Gulfport was largely destroyed, with only a portion of one wharf available for use after the hurricane. Also in Gulfport, the high waves beached a barge, leaving it on the median of U.S. 90, while also washing ashore three large cargo ships – the Alamo Victory, the Hulda, and the Silver Hawk. Of the three ships, only the Alamo Victory was refloated.<ref name="usgs"/> The Memorial Hospital at Gulfport was damaged, forcing 729 patients to be evacuated. The Biloxi hospital was damaged, but remained operational.<ref name="usgs70"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Keesler AFB sustained about $4.8 million in damage. Due to power outages and roofing damage at five buildings, training was halted for 15 days.<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name="keesler"/> Also in Biloxi, the hurricane destroyed the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer.<ref name="bilox">Template:Cite news</ref> In Long Beach, 36 buildings at the U.S. Naval Construction Center were destroyed, while hundreds of structures required new roofs, estimated at around 90% of the buildings at the complex.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> In Pascagoula, the hurricane washed ashore the SS Mormacsun.<ref name="usgs70"/>

Though Camille weakened as it moved inland, Camille's winds continued to cause major damage. A high school north of Waveland suffered roof and window damage and several mobile homes being used as temporary classrooms were destroyed.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Pearl River County was hit hard by the storm, with total damage in the county exceeding $36 million.<ref name="usgs70" /> Every building on the campus of Pearl River Community College was damaged, one of them being totally destroyed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In Picayune, a high school was heavily damaged by a collapsed smokestack.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In Poplarville, an estimated 90% of homes were damaged. Two schools in the city and a manufacturing plant were heavily damaged. A steel forestry service observation tower was uprooted by its foundation. The tung crop in the county was a near total loss.<ref>*Template:Cite news

• https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-democrat-camille-poplarville/172070101/
• https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-democrat-hurricane-camille-po/171987038/
• https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-democrat-camille-clip-2/182366681/

</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In Columbia, the storm caused extensive damage, unroofing buildings and knocking down large numbers of trees.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Camille blew out storefront windows and damaged buildings in Simpson County, including the county courthouse.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The storm passed over the Ross Barnett Reservoir, causing a pileup of Template:Convert of water at the dam, leading to slight damage.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Alabama and Florida

Map of rainfall associated with Hurricane Camille in the United States

The hurricane's high floodwaters extended into Alabama, reaching Template:Convert upstream the Mobile River from Mobile Bay.<ref name="usgs70"/> Storm surge in Alabama peaked at Template:Convert on Dauphin Island and Template:Convert at Gulf Shores.<ref name="mob" /> Across southern Alabama, the floods washed out or left sand on many roads. All offshore islands were completely inundated except for Dauphin Island, of which around 70% was covered with floodwaters. An Air Force radar on the island sustained damage during the storm.<ref name="usgs70"/> The high waters damaged parts of the causeway across Mobile Bay, while also damaging the adjacent businesses and fishing camps. Five bridges in Mobile County had minor damage.<ref name="usgs70"/> Hurricane-force winds from Camille extended into far southwestern Alabama, estimated at Category 1 intensity.<ref name=":1"/> Mobile recorded a peak wind gust of Template:Convert.<ref name="mwr"/> The highest rainfall report received within Alabama was Template:Convert, recorded near Fairhope.Template:Tropical Cyclone Rainfall for the Gulf Coast Statewide, damage reached $8 million.<ref name="mwr" /> The hurricane damaged 578 houses or trailers, including 10 homes and 12 trailers that were destroyed. Camille also destroyed or severely damaged 14 businesses.<ref name="mwr" /> Camille's high winds knocked down trees and affected agriculture industries in the state, including pecan and soybean.<ref name="mob" /> The hurricane also flattened about Template:Convert of corn fields in the state.<ref name="tcr"/>

The large circulation of Camille resulted in tides Template:Convert above normal as far east as Apalachicola, Florida.<ref name="tcr"/> A bridge carrying State Road 292 in Pensacola recorded a peak tide of Template:Convert.<ref name="usgs70"/> Areas as far as Tampa Bay reported tides about Template:Convert above normal.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> Across the western Florida panhandle, Pensacola Naval Air Station measured Template:Convert of rain, while a station in the city recorded wind gusts of Template:Convert.Template:Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in Florida<ref name="mwr"/> Ahead of its landfall, Camille spawned an F0 tornado in Pensacola, which damaged a building and a car.<ref name="tcr"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Another F0 tornado touched down in Santa Rosa County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Camille's damage across Florida was estimated to be around $500,000. This included beach erosion and crop damage, with pecan and corn the most affected.<ref name="mob" /><Ref name="tcr"/>

Ohio Valley and West Virginia

As Camille moved inland, it produced rainfall across the southeastern United States and into the Ohio Valley. Near Lake Toxaway in North Carolina, rainfall reached Template:Convert, while the highest rainfall in Tennessee was Template:Convert, recorded in Bolivar. The rains relieved severe drought conditions in western Tennessee, proving beneficial, although there was minor street flooding. Memphis International Airport recorded wind gusts of Template:Convert. The winds were strong enough to knock down a tree onto a power line.<ref name="mwr"/>Template:Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in the Southeastern United States<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> West of the storm's center, rainfall reached Template:Convert in Eudora, Arkansas, the highest precipitation total in the state.Template:Tropical Cyclone Rainfall for the Gulf Coast Rainfall totals over Template:Convert reached southeastern Missouri and into southern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.<ref name="rain"/> Heavier rainfall occurred in central Kentucky, reaching Template:Convert in West Liberty.<ref name="tcr"/>

In West Virginia, the highest recorded precipitation was Template:Convert in McRoss.Template:Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in the Mid Atlantic United States The rains caused damaging flash flooding in Nicholas, Greenbrier, and Summers counties. The Greenbrier River crested at Template:Convert, or Template:Convert above flood stage. Two people died in Renick, West Virginia, when floods trapped them in their house. In Anjean, floods washed out 30 homes. Statewide, the floods damaged or destroyed 356 houses and trailers, including 48 that were destroyed. The floods also damaged or destroyed five businesses, along with 315 farm buildings. Statewide damage totaled $750,000.<ref name="mwr" /><ref name="tcr"/><Ref name="sd869"/>

Virginia

Flooding damage at Howardsville, Virginia; the bridge formerly carried Virginia Route 626 over the Rockfish River.

When Camille entered Virginia as a tropical depression, it drew moisture from the south, which concentrated as the circulation moved through the Appalachian Mountains. The thunderstorms intensified and concentrated north and east of the circulation center as they approached the western slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which developed into "catastrophic cloudburst proportions", as described by a report conducted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The highest rainfall total was Template:Convert, recorded near Massies Mill. Several other locations in the county recorded more than Template:Convert of rainfall. The Weather Bureau also received an unconfirmed report of Template:Convert of precipitation over five hours, recorded at the junction of the Tye and Piney rivers. Most of the heavy rainfall occurred over an eight hour period. Researchers estimated that the rainfall totals represented more than 80% of the maximum potential precipitation for the area. The heavy rains produced landslides as well as flash flooding along creeks and rivers. The landslides occurred on hillsides with a slope greater than 35%, with lidar scans indicating that nearly 3,800 landslides occurred in Nelson County alone. Flooding and landslides caused significant damage across Albemarle, Amherst, Fluvanna, Nelson, and Rockbridge counties. Record-breaking flooding occurred along the York River, while floodwaters along the James River were the highest in more than a century.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="usgs">Template:Cite report</ref><ref name="rain">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="CamilleErosion1"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Camille's floods produced what the USGS described as "the worst natural disaster ever to strike Virginia."<ref name="usgs"/><ref name="usgs70"/> There were 153 deaths in the state, including 123 in Nelson County alone.<ref name="vafl">Template:Cite web</ref> Most of the deaths were due to blunt trauma from mudslides.<ref name="CamilleErosion1">Template:Cite report</ref> There were eight fatalities that were unidentified.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Statewide, the floods destroyed 313 homes along with 31 trailers, while also causing severe damage to another 415 homes and 65 trailers. An additional 1,870 homes had minor damage. The monetary costs of Camille in Virginia totaled $140 million.<ref name="mwr"/> This included $54.635 million in damaged businesses, industries, or commercial buildings. Floods and landslides damaged or washed out Template:Convert of state highways, while damaging or destroying 133 bridges. Among the three destroyed bridges were state highways along the James River – routes 602, 603, and 690. About Template:Convert of U.S. 29 was damaged and shut down. Damage along the state's interstate highways was confined to gutters, guardrails, ditches, and shoulders, and a portion of I-95 was temporarily closed in Caroline County. Road damage totaled $17.48 million. Railroads in the state experienced $4.1 million in damage. Power, phone, and gas utilities collectively had over $2.5 million in damage from the storm. Agriculture and farming industries suffered $23.8 million in damage; this including 950 farm buildings that were damaged or destroyed, along with fields that were washed away, and lost livestock.<ref name="usgs"/>

In Nelson County, the rains were so heavy that birds drowned in trees, according to newspaper reports.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the Davis Creek community in the county, the floods swept away 23 houses, leaving only two standing, resulting in at least 27 fatalities. Most of the community of Massies Mill was destroyed, sparing only two houses and a church.<ref name="usgs"/> In Buena Vista, floodwaters reached Template:Convert deep, sweeping away vehicles and covering entire factories. Businesses and industry in the city incurred more than $26 million in damage. In Lovingston, the flood discharge along the Tye River was eight times the greatest on the 31 year record. The Rivanna River at Palmyra rose Template:Convert, while the North Anna River near Doswell rose Template:Convert over seven hours.<ref name="usgs"/> Floodwaters reached nearly Template:Convert deep in parts of Glasgow, largely destroying the town's business district.<ref name="usgs"/><ref name="tcr"/> In Scottsville and Waynesboro, floodwaters reached Template:Convert deep.<ref name="usgs"/> Tributaries and mountain streams collected in the James River to produce record or near-record flood conditions, which nearly destroyed all of the river settlements between Lynchburg and Richmond. In the former city, the James River crested at Template:Convert, which was the highest water level since 1877. In Richmond, the James River reached a peak of Template:Convert, which equaled the record crest set in 1936 and surpassed all other floods in at least a century.<ref name="tcr"/><ref name="usgs"/> In the city, the James River had a peak flow of Template:Convert per second, the second-highest on record. The floodwaters inundated low-lying parts of Richmond, including areas near the James River that flooded after a pumping station failed. Citywide damage was slightly over $9 million.<ref name="usgs"/><ref name="virflo"/> At Schuyler, a hydroelectric dam on the Rockfish River was overtopped, destroying the dam's powerhouse and washing out a bridge downstream.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Elsewhere

In Maryland, Camille brought heavy rains, peaking at Template:Convert at Princess Anne. The rains caused localized flooding, which closed roads and washed out a few bridges. The rains damaged a junior high school in Princess Anne after floodwaters reached Template:Convert deep. Near Great Mills, 14 residents evacuated by helicopter due to the floods. Minor flooding occurred in Delaware. Precipitation from Camille reached as far north as Pennsylvania, with a total of Template:Convert recorded in Somerset. Cape May, New Jersey, recorded Template:Convert of rainfall as well.Template:Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in the Mid Atlantic United States<Ref name="sd869">Template:Cite report</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Aftermath

Damage from Camille

In the days after the storm struck Cuba, the government deployed medical teams to affected regions to provide typhoid vaccine shots. Officials noted the potential for the spread of disease, due to flooding from Camille as well as previously wet conditions.<ref name="ap817"/>

Across the Gulf Coast of the United States, the response to the hurricane involved many federal, state, and local agencies and volunteer organizations. By May 1970, the federal government spent more than $25 million toward relief efforts, including reimbursing state and local governments.<ref name="usgs70"/> Then-president Richard Nixon declared 26 Mississippi counties as disaster areas, along with two counties in Alabama four parishes in Louisiana, and 27 counties in Virginia.<ref name="usgs70"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Federal agencies that assisted in the relief efforts included the Economic Development Administration (EDA), the General Services Administration (GSA), the Office of Economic Opportunity, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the departments of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD).<ref name="usgs70"/> The Department of Defense contributed $34 million and 16,500 military troops that helped in the recovery, such as clearing debris or distributing food.<ref name="thirty"/> The United States Coast Guard surveyed coastal areas by helicopter to search for survivors.<ref name="upi818">Template:Cite news</ref> Rescues occurred as late as August 24, when a helicopter spotted a family of 12 people that was without food or water for days.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Federal Highway Administration helped fund repairs to roads, paying the entire cost of federal highway repair and reconstruction. By January 1970, over $13.71 million worth of highway projects had been approved. The Federal Water Pollution Control Administration assisted with sewage treatment in Mississippi and Virginia and helped clean up an oil spill in the Boothville-Venice area of Louisiana.<ref name=":0" /> After the base was cleared of debris and emergency power was restored, Keesler AFB became a hub for search and rescue operations, for aerial damage assessments, and as a point for distributing aid. Helicopters from the base flew food and medicine to storm-damaged communities until early September.<ref name="keesler"/> After Vice President Spiro Agnew surveyed disaster areas, Nixon visited Gulfport–Biloxi Airport on September 8, speaking to a crowd of more than 35,000 attendees.<ref name="keesler"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Other federal agencies included the Department of Health, which provided $4 million towards medicine, vaccines and other health related needs.<ref name="thirty">Template:Cite web</ref> The Farmers Home Administration designated 33 counties in Mississippi as emergency areas.<ref name="tcr"/> The Department of Agriculture's Consumer and Marketing Service provided over Template:Convert of surplus food to victims of Camille.<ref name="month">Template:Cite report</ref> The Post Office Department spent over $100,000 restoring service and repairing 46 post offices affected by the storm.<ref name=":0" /> NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama sent a team along with a 200–bed mobile hospitals to the hardest hit areas. HUD provided 5,000 temporary homes to disaster areas, while the NASA facility near Picayune, Mississippi served as a temporary shelter for about 1,500 people.<ref name="usgs70"/> Representatives from HEW informed Mississippi schools that they would not receive federal funding unless they integrated their schools.<ref name="ap828"/> Camp Shelby opened and temporarily housed about 5,000 residents, and was likewise forced to integrate; this was despite the New York Times describing the camp as, "one of the least integrated of all of the U.S. military bases". The University of Southern Mississippi held 5,000 people displaced by Camille, while 1,000 people were transferred from Pass Christian to the Robert E. Lee Hotel in Jackson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ruins of a gas station in Biloxi, Mississippi

Mississippi Governor John Bell Williams activated more than 1,200 National Guardsmen to help protect against looting and look for survivors.<ref name="upi818"/> The governor also activated martial law for parts of the coast, which lasted until August 27.<ref name="ap828">Template:Cite news</ref> Martial law was declared for Plaquemines Parish and the city of Bogalusa, Louisiana.<ref name="ap828"/> Power and water companies brought workers from other states to assist in the restoration of utilities. By a week after the storm, water service was restored in Gulfport, Mississippi, followed by Biloxi a week later.<ref name="industry"/> Following the hurricane, Governor Williams established the Gulf Regional Planning Commission, which created stricter building codes along the Mississippi coast.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> Various nongovernmental agencies and volunteers helped in the aftermath of the hurricane. The American Red Cross opened up 29 relief centers, operated 27 mobile units, and set up seven food kitchens.<ref name="usgs70"/> In Jackson, Mississippi, comedian Bob Hope hosted a telethon that raised more than $1.3 million toward helping storm victims.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Across coastal areas, roads were closed for several days due to a combination of building debris and fallen trees, with Template:Convert of roads and streets affected. The Army Corps of Engineers coordinated debris removal, and within a week of the hurricane, all major roads were opened. Over a three-month period, more than 300,000 truck loads were transported to one of 17 emergency dump sights.<ref name="usgs70"/><ref name="industry">Template:Cite report</ref> Efforts to salvage timber in the affected region began a few days after Camille passed, producing over 100 million board-feet of pine wood.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The reduced tree coverage across southern Mississippi decreased squirrel and bird populations in the area.<ref name="eco"/> Concurrently, the snake population increased in southeastern Mississippi, forcing residents to organize and hunt.<ref name="ap918">Template:Cite news</ref> The 43rd Engineer Battalion of the Army Corps cleared Mississippi beaches from deceased animals, removing Template:Convert worth of carcasses by August 24. The odor of decaying animals persisted for about a week after the storm.<ref name="eco">Template:Cite journal</ref> Seabees also shot stray, starving dogs, while the local shelter in Harrison County helped care for cats and dogs displaced by the storm.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> To control the spread of mosquitos, four aircraft from Keesler AFB sprayed malathion at a low altitude between Pascagoula and Waveland, Mississippi.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The storm had long-lasting effects on agricultural products in the region. The tung industry, already reeling from freezes in previous years and unfavorable economic conditions, never recovered from losses inflicted by the storm and tung was largely replaced by other crops.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Pecan production in Mississippi saw a significant decline following the storm, with the 1970 crop yielding 27% of the previous 5-year average.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Following Camille's passage in Virginia, an orchard in Lovingston produced a new variety of apple that became known as the Ginger Gold.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Insured losses from the storm were estimated to be at least $135 million. Most insurance policies in the affected areas did not cover damage due to flooding or waves,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and ultimately, only 20% of flood damage was covered by insurance.<ref name="thirty" /> The lack of flood insurance became a major obstacle to redevelopment, especially in low-lying areas of Harrison County.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> The hurricane affected local economies. Economic activity in Harrison County spiked following the storm, with a significant increase in sales of lumber and building materials. However, much of this increase occurred in rural areas outside the cities of Biloxi and Gulfport. Unemployment in the county spiked to 12% the month after the storm and did not return to pre-Camille levels until August 1970.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref>

Long-term redevelopment was overseen by the Department of Commerce, which contributed $30 million towards planned and coordinated redevelopment of affected areas. NOAA Weather Radio was expanded to coastal locations during the 1970s, based upon recommendations made by the Department of Commerce in September 1969.<ref name="adm" /> The devastation of Camille, following a series of other damaging hurricanes, led engineer Herbert Saffir and then-NHC director Robert Simpson to develop the Saffir–Simpson scale.<ref name="time">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="farmbry">Template:Cite book</ref> In 1973, the hurricane hunters and their associated reconnaissance aircraft relocated to Keesler AFB, following the closure of their previous headquarters in Ramey, Puerto Rico.<ref name="keesler" /> Concerns about the adequacy of aerial weather reconnaissance after Camille led to the U.S. Air Force and NOAA taking steps to modernize their reconnaissance aircraft.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> Prior to Camille, only two communities had been made eligible for the National Flood Insurance Program. In December 1969, the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 was amended with an emergency program to extend federally subsidized flood insurance to communities that had not undergone rate making studies.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> Partly due to Camille's aftermath and the need for more federal coordination, the United States Congress passed the Disaster Relief Act of 1974. Five years later, President Jimmy Carter issued an executive order establishing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).<ref name="time" /><ref name="farmbry" />

In 2004, the city of Biloxi opened the Hurricane Camille Memorial, which was damaged a year later by Hurricane Katrina.<ref name="bilox"/> In 2009, federal agencies including the National Park Service and the United States Geological Survey developed the Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program. Part of the project included filling the Camille Cut in Ship Island, which began in 2017. The project finished in 2019, reconnecting the east and west side of the island and restoring vegetation at the former inlet. It was the second-largest in the history of the National Park Service.<ref name="camillecut"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Camille and its effects were depicted in several pieces of media, including Hurricane, a 1974 ABC made-for-TV disaster movie starring Frank Sutton and Larry Hagman, The Bluest Water: A Hurricane Camille Story, an original play about the storm in Nelson County, a 1989 episode of Nova, and a 1991 episode of the NBC series Quantum Leap, titled "Hurricane."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="party"/><ref name="Hurricane">Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Tcmdb title</ref>

Due to the high death toll and major destruction the hurricane caused in much of the Southern United States, the name Camille was retired after the 1969 season, and will never again be used for an Atlantic basin tropical cyclone.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The name Cindy was selected to replace Camille in 1973.<ref name="noaa hrd" /> However, the 4Template:Nbhyear lists were replaced in 1971 by a new series of lists running though 1980.<ref name="NHOP 71">Template:Cite report</ref>

See also

• List of Mississippi hurricanes
• List of Virginia hurricanes
• List of Atlantic hurricane records

Further reading

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book

External links

• Harrison County Library's Camille Page
• Hurricane Camille Photograph Collection, Mississippi Department of Archives and History