ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Fifty years ago, Hurricane Dora leveled homes, downed trees and caused major flooding in Northeast Florida.
The area hasn’t seen a direct hit from a hurricane since, but is still at risk.
A brand-new sea wall in St. Augustine was built to only withstand up to a Category 2 hurricane. While leaders tell Action News it is an advantage, it all depends on how strong the hurricane is and how high the storm surge can get.
Sept. 10, 1964: Hurricane Dora dominated the airwaves as it left a trail of destruction in much of Northeast Florida.
Clocking in with 110 mph winds, Hurricane Dora swept through our beaches and flooded inland areas.
The devastation so great even then-President Lyndon B. Johnson surveyed the damage.
The images are still vivid in the mind of survivor Wade McCormick, who was a child at the time.
“Their house was just sitting out in the sand dunes and all their belongings scattered everywhere. It’s a horrific feeling,” McCormick said.
Fifty years later, much has changed but the threat of another Dora remains.
St. Augustine recently fortified its deteriorating sea wall. The new one is a major upgrade to protect against storms, but it too has its limitations.
“This one is made to withstand a Category 2 hurricane and protect the city if we had a breach on the wall then that water would come right in and flood us,” said J.C. Costeria, St. Augustine fire chief.
Flooding is the biggest concern, and with a much bigger population than in 1964, the risks are greater.
“Now, we would need a lot more time to get people evacuated in to safe areas,” Costeria said.
Survivors say Hurricane Dora proves residents can’t let their guard down.
“I think it’s something we will always remember,” McCormick said.
The preparation of local emergency crews has changed quite a bit since Dora.
The technology is much better, but emergency operations managers say the main thing is to heed their warnings.
“The technology now for tracking the storms is obviously much better,” Costeira said.
And that’s not all: New homes have to be up to hurricane standards.
But risks remain for older homes, especially those in historic districts like Lincolnville where Gwendolyn Rutledge Sandcroft weathered Dora.
“It was real frightening because the wind you could hear the wind just blowing the windows in the house were pretty weak so the windows would shake,” Sandcroft said.
It’s hurricanes like Dora that are studied by emergency operations leaders. The goal is to learn from them and be prepared.
Costeira said predicting storm surge is the biggest factor.
“Evacuation is our key defense. There’s nothing we could do to get ready for storm surge that floods the city other than get people out,” Costeira said.
Dora was the last hurricane to make landfall in Northeast Florid. Sandcroft said she doesn’t rule out another hit.
“If I hear one coming like Dora, I’m definitely going to leave home,” she said.
Another advantage since Dora is a detailed plan provided by each county. Booklets detail evacuation routes, flood prone routes and other important information.
WJAX
