National Weather Service office in Mobile, Alabama, a reanalysis of data from the storm found that maximum winds of about 175 mph were likely.The powerful winds pushed more than 24 feet of storm surge inland.
According to the NWS, most of the property damage along the immediate coast was caused by the high water.Even after moving inland, Camille continued to cause damage with flooding rains.
Record amounts of rain were reported along the path that stretched from Mississippi to the Delmarva Peninsula. The highest total along that path was recorded in mountainous regions of Virginia, where upwards of 2 feet of rain fell in about 12 hours.Camille killed more than 250 people and caused an estimated $1.42 billion in damage.
That equates to about $10 billion in today’s money.(Original Caption) 8/18/1969- Biloxi, MS-The Shrimper "Wade Klien" rests against a house that fronts the beach 8/18 where it was deposited by hurricane Camille. (via Getty Images) Radar images in 1969 weren’t anything like what people are accustomed to seeing now.