Wilmington, NC – On August 28, 1893, the Sea Islands Hurricane roared ashore and carved a path that would sweep nearly every major city along the East Coast. The deadly storm began near Florida, pushed inland between Jacksonville and Savannah, and then tracked northward, striking cities from Charleston to New York.
According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, the hurricane moved past Charlotte before bending northeast, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and destructive tides to one East Coast community after another. By the time the storm reached New England, its path had touched nearly every state along the Eastern Seaboard, including Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Maine.
In North Carolina, winds reached about 70 mph at Southport and Wilmington, where tides surged higher than ever recorded. Ships were lost at sea, vessels were wrecked along the Cape Fear coast, and wharves disappeared under water. Wrightsville Beach was largely evacuated, but flooding still spread through the region.
Rainfall totals across the Carolinas ranged from three to eight inches, with some areas reporting five inches in just 24 hours. In South Carolina, where the storm first struck hardest, 1,000 to 2,000 people were killed. Storm surge of more than 16 feet inundated the Sea Islands region, submerging entire communities near the Georgia line.
By the time the storm weakened offshore near Canada, it had left destruction in every state along the Eastern Seaboard, making the Sea Islands Hurricane one of the deadliest and most wide-reaching storms in U.S. history.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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