Hurricane Hanna facts for kids

Hurricane Hanna was a very dangerous tropical cyclone that happened in 2008. It was the deadliest storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. This powerful storm caused 537 deaths in places like the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and the United States. Hanna's strongest winds reached about 80 miles per hour. It hit the eastern part of South Carolina as a strong tropical storm and then moved up the East Coast of the United States. Even though it caused so many deaths, the name Hanna was not removed from the list of storm names.

What Was Hurricane Hanna?

Hurricane Hanna was a type of storm called a tropical cyclone. These storms form over warm ocean waters. They bring strong winds and heavy rain. Hanna became a hurricane, which is the strongest type of tropical cyclone. Its winds were very powerful.

Hanna's Path and Power

Hanna started as a tropical depression. This is the weakest kind of tropical cyclone. It formed near the Leeward Islands in late August 2008. As it moved, it grew stronger. It became a tropical storm and then a hurricane.

The storm moved slowly at first. It passed over the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas. Here, it caused a lot of rain and flooding. Its winds were very strong, reaching up to 80 miles per hour.

Where Did Hanna Hit?

After moving through the Caribbean and Bahamas, Hurricane Hanna turned towards the United States. It made landfall in eastern South Carolina. When it hit the coast, it was a strong tropical storm. This means its winds were still very fast, but not quite hurricane strength.

Even as a tropical storm, Hanna brought a lot of damage. It caused heavy rain and flooding along the coast. The storm then moved up the United States East Coast. It affected many states, including North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.

Why Was Hanna So Deadly?

Hurricane Hanna caused a tragic number of deaths, especially in Haiti. Most of the deaths were due to severe flooding. Haiti is a country with many mountains and not a lot of trees. This makes it very prone to mudslides and floods when there is heavy rain.

The heavy rainfall from Hanna caused rivers to overflow. It also led to dangerous mudslides. Many homes were destroyed. People were trapped by the rising water. This made Hanna the deadliest storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season.

What Happened After Hanna?

After a hurricane causes a lot of damage or deaths, its name is sometimes "retired." This means the name won't be used again for another storm. This is done out of respect for the victims. Famous retired names include Katrina and Sandy.

However, the name Hanna was not retired. This might seem surprising because it caused so many deaths. Usually, names are retired if a storm is extremely destructive in the United States or a major tourist area. While Hanna was deadly, much of its impact was in Haiti. The decision to retire a name is made by an international committee.

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