death toll may already be over 1,000

[JQ Public]

I would be surprised. I'm thinking more around 2000-3000

[Derek Ortt]

that might be just for Mississippi the 2-3K

[JQ Public]

shew...lets hope i'm right then

[shaggy]

Last U.S. hurricane to kill 50+: Hurricane Floyd 1999 (56)

100+: Hurricane Agnes 1972 (127)

200+: Hurricane Camille 1969 (256)

500+: Hurricane Audrey 1957 (578)

1000+: 1928 Lake Okeechobee/San Felipe Hurricane 1928 (recently adjusted to around 3000)

All-time deadliest U.S. hurricane: The Great Galveston Hurricane 1900 (between 6000-12000)

the sad thing is that the 56 reported deaths are such crap because i know that over 75 people died here in my county alone and all the rescue officials admitted this after the storm.They had to chain bodies to trees until they could get back to them because like NOLA they were rescueing people for days.Not sure why the number was amended down to 56 but trust me that alot more people died in floyd than 56!

As far as katrina goes theres really no way to know until they can get into the flooded houses and see how many bodies are there its all speculation

[cancunkid]

ncdowneast is right hurricane deaths are notoriously underreported. There are too many factors that lead to a lack of bodies to count so officals would rather say fewer people died. I look at the out of control fires in NO and think here is something else that will dispose of bodies along with alligators, storm surge and honestly when they come in to clear areas with earth moving equipment many smaller bodies and bones will be missed. I think this is the reason a couple of generations later they start raising death tolls. I have read horror stories after Andrew about bodies of Cuban illegals not being counted amoung the dead. I don't know if it was fact since I read it on line years later but it sounded quite believeable. I pray for all the people on the Gulf.

[smashmode]

In a statement by Biloxi rescue officials at 1 PM CDT September 2, it was confirmed that at least 1,000 people were killed in Biloxi.

According to the wiki article I just can't find it in any other news pieces, may be true though.

BBC reported this 2 days ago (I made a post about it) with link

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=73239

[themusk]

There used to be a time when you could add up the known death toll of EVERY SINGLE HURRICANE to hit the US (minus the 1900) and the number didn't come close to surpassing the total of the 1900. Unfortunately, I don't think that's possible anymore. We may be at a point where we can add up every single hurricane, including the 1900 but minus Katrina, and those numbers won't surpass the Katrina death toll.

I honestly never thought I'd see a death toll from a single storm surpass the Galveston storm -- early warnings, evacuations, all that...I thought it'd never be possible. How naive of me.

Well... we've seen the terrorist attack on New York. We've seen the hurricane to hit New Orleans. I pray for the people of California, and hope I don't have to see that one in my lifetime.

[Derek Ortt]

the 56 deaths is the number of direct deaths. This is the number that is reported.

there are also indirect deaths. That number is usually triple the direct death number

[crazycajuncane]

I talked to a guy in Perdido Key, FL and he told be 70+ people died in one county for Hurricane Ivan. He was one of the first responders after Ivan hit. The true number of deaths for Ivan will never be told to the public, but it exceeded Andrews 26 and Floyds as well.

Funny how the government did such a good job of getting Ivan off our minds so quickly. They can't do this for Katrina.

[mf_dolphin]

I talked to a guy in Perdido Key, FL and he told be 70+ people died in one county for Hurricane Ivan. He was one of the first responders after Ivan hit. The true number of deaths for Ivan will never be told to the public, but it exceeded Andrews 26 and Floyds as well.

Funny how the government did such a good job of getting Ivan off our minds so quickly. They can't do this for Katrina.

Let's lay off the conspiracy theories on hurricane deaths. If we can't keep military secrets how do you think that they could coverup 70 deaths with thousands of civilians involved? Let's use our own brains a little instead of propogating rumours.

[mvtrucking]

In a statement by Biloxi rescue officials at 1 PM CDT September 2, it was confirmed that at least 1,000 people were killed in Biloxi.

According to the wiki article I just can't find it in any other news pieces, may be true though.

ya i heard that earlier, that just in biloxi over a 1000 were dead, and no reports from lousiana, i think a couple out of alabama, and 1 man from pcola from a generator....its going to be very high, it breaks my heart

I think your Biloxi figure is off -- nobody has said that yet that I know of. It's not unrealistic, but I haven't heard it yet (and I've had my ear to the rail for a couple days now).

Wendy, I too heard the estimate last night.(*Possible death toll in Biloxi alone could be 1000+) Very sad.

[vbhoutex]

I've heard those estimates also. Based on the destruction we see it is of course a possibility, but lets do a little math. Based on the population of Biloxi per their website -50,684. Let's assume 20% stayed behind, that is approximately 1014 people that stayed behind. Now lets add in tourists who stayed behind and I am trying to be generous here, so lets say another 1000 whixh I hope is very high so that takes us to 2014. I guess it is possible that there are that many dead in Biloxi, based on my numbers if you presume that 50% of them did not make it. Personally, I think that is high, but sadly hundreds dead in Biloxi woould not be a surprise.

[Derek Ortt]

David,

20% of 50,000 is 10,000, not 1000. 1000 is 2%

I also heard 75% of Biloxi residents stayed, which would mean about 35K people stayed behind

[vbhoutex]

David,

20% of 50,000 is 10,000, not 1000. 1000 is 2%

I also heard 75% of Biloxi residents stayed, which would mean about 35K people stayed behind

I knew I should have used the calcualtor!!! Can I just hide under the desk?

I still pray that even my calculations are so wrong in the right way!!!!

I have never heard that 75% figure and I do hope it is wrong!!!!!! If it isn't I don't even want to think about what the toll in Biloxi alone may be.

[mvtrucking]

David,

20% of 50,000 is 10,000, not 1000. 1000 is 2%

I also heard 75% of Biloxi residents stayed, which would mean about 35K people stayed behind

I knew I should have used the calcualtor!!! Can I just hide under the desk?

I still pray that even my calculations are so wrong in the right way!!!!

I have never heard that 75% figure and I do hope it is wrong!!!!!! If it isn't I don't even want to think about what the toll in Biloxi alone may be.

I heard it mentioned (the 75% staying behind as well). They said many lived pay check to pay check and this happened at the end of the month.

[southerngale]

It's ok David...we're all a little brain frazzled right now.

It's hard to think about how many may have died. Each person had family and friends and will be sorely missed by someone. It's just so sad.

[GalvestonDuck]

There used to be a time when you could add up the known death toll of EVERY SINGLE HURRICANE to hit the US (minus the 1900) and the number didn't come close to surpassing the total of the 1900. Unfortunately, I don't think that's possible anymore. We may be at a point where we can add up every single hurricane, including the 1900 but minus Katrina, and those numbers won't surpass the Katrina death toll.

I honestly never thought I'd see a death toll from a single storm surpass the Galveston storm -- early warnings, evacuations, all that...I thought it'd never be possible. How naive of me.

Well... we've seen the terrorist attack on New York. We've seen the hurricane to hit New Orleans. I pray for the people of California, and hope I don't have to see that one in my lifetime.

Or it might be the next New Madrid quake we'll have to worry about instead of one in CA.

[jburns]

It's ok David...we're all a little brain frazzled right now.

It's hard to think about how many may have died. Each person had family and friends and will be sorely missed by someone. It's just so sad.

In my opinion based on what I know about how government works that fact that virtually no casualtiy figures are being released 5 days after the event is not a good sign. They will begin to come out first in rumor mentioning a rather high figure from a "reliable source" to give the public a chance to get used to the idea without being sure. Judged easier to take for some reason. It will then be announced officially and continue to rise from that point.

[Downdraft]

Let's concentrate on counting the living the dead are silent witnesses to what needs to be done.

[jpigott]

i'd like to believe there are only 144 dead in MS, but i fear many many more is likely accurate. From the aireials i've seen ALL residences/structures within 1/4 mile of the gulf from Biloxi westward to Slidell/NO are severely damaged from the storm surge, and there are many of those same structures where all that is left is the concrete foundation slab