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Hurricane Marilyn Caribbean 1995

Hurricane Marilyn, U.S. Virgin Islands, 1995

During a 14-hour period on 15-16 September, 1995, Hurricane Marilyn passed through the U.S. Virgin Islands, causing 8 deaths and damages in excess of $2 billion. Approximately 21,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. At the same time, intense rainfall caused widespread flooding in Puerto Rico, and the island of Culebra suffered extensive wind damage. Wind damage was heaviest on St. Thomas, particularly over the eastern third of the island as well as in the city of Charlotte Amalie. The desalinization plant on St. Thomas was put out of service, and numerous boats were driven ashore by the wind and waves in St. Thomas Harbor. Wind damage on St. Croix was less severe, somewhat the reverse of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 when ST. Croix rather than St. Thomas experienced the brunt of the damaging winds.

NIST report: "Hurricane Marilyn in the Caribbean -- Measured Wind Speeds and Designed Wind Speeds Compared (NIST IR 5987)."

Created May 31, 2011, Updated April 10, 2017