1875 Indianola hurricane

Preparations and impact

Caribbean

In Saint Vincent, the hurricane was "accompanied by a deluge of rain unprecedented", with nearly 12 in (300 mm) of precipitation falling in 12 hours. Loss of lives and severe damage to properties were reported by The Times. Landslides occurred throughout the island, causing heavy damage, especially to agriculture. At one plantation alone, the storm destroyed nearly 15 acres (6.1 ha) of sugar cane. A number of roads were left impassible. The storm also demolished several arrowroot mills, which were generally owned by poor Black cultivators. In the Kingstown area, local streams, some of which typically resembled arroyos, rose as much as 12 ft (3.7 m) in six hours. Most of the streets were flooded with over 3 ft (0.91 m) of water, while marketplaces and low-lying areas were also inundated. Many homes and two bridges were swept away. At the Roman Catholic cemetery, floodwaters unearthed several recently interred bodies and swept them into the ocean. Along the coast, seven of the ten vessels docked at the bay were beached. In the Mariaqua Valley of Saint Vincent, hundreds of people fled their homes from the villages of Hopewell and Mesopotamia. Water swept away more than 30 homes in total from both villages. Four people drowned in Mesopotamia. Additionally, five fatalities occurred in Queensbury. During the storm, the volcano La Soufrière showed signs of activation. Following the storm, the Legislative Assembly of Saint Vincent voted to allocate £500 (equivalent to £49,882 in 2025) for repairing roads and £300 (equivalent to £29,929 in 2025) for relief to those whose homes were destroyed. A total of 52 people were granted aid, many of whom lived in Mesopotamia.

In Barbados, several locations reported around 13 in (330 mm) of precipitation, while up to 15 in (380 mm) of rain was observed. Three vessels on the island were driven ashore. The ship Codfish sank at a harbor in Martinique, drowning all 20 crew members. In Haiti, the schooner Agnes became stranded at Les Cayes. Additionally, several coasters and two foreign ships were grounded. Heavy rainfall and strong winds were also reported on Navassa Island. Many trees were brought down and several homes were destroyed. One building was lifted and smashed, and all wooden structures were demolished. The railroad was torn up, while eight loaded train cars were tossed from the track. A flat stone weighing 25 tons disappeared during the storm. Along the coast, waves crashed over cliffs that were 45 to 75 ft (14 to 23 m) in height. Boathouses and wharves were demolished, while a gig and eight lighters capsized. The storm caused an estimated $25,000 (equivalent to $732,955 in 2025) in damage to the island's phosphate mining infrastructure and company-owned buildings. Jamaica experienced storm surge, heavy rainfall, and near-hurricane-force winds. In Falmouth, storm surge inundated roads. Adverse weather conditions briefly interrupted communications between Holland Bay and Kingston, as well as between Holland Bay and Santiago de Cuba.

The Belen College Observatory in Havana, Cuba, issued a storm warning on September 11, as forecasters anticipated that the hurricane would continue west-northwestward and strike the island. This was the first issuance of a tropical cyclone-related warning in the Caribbean Sea. The well-publicized warning was credited with saving many lives. Tides in Cuba reached 3 ft (0.91 m) above normal at the bay in Santiago de Cuba. A severe thunderstorm associated with the hurricane killed a girl, and injured two men at a fishing village. The hurricane destroyed a section of railroad in Guantánamo. Strong winds and above normal tides left damage across the island, particularly in Júcaro and Santa Cruz del Sur. In the latter, the tides inundated many streets. Strong winds destroyed all shacks and partially damaged even the strongest buildings.

United States

In Louisiana, the hurricane sunk or swept ashore several ships along the coast. Even at the protected New Orleans harbor, ships foundered. Communications with the schooner Mabel was lost after it sailed out of the mouth of the Mississippi River. The state experienced more intense impacts after the storm moved eastward out of Texas. At Shell Island, located near the west end of Vermilion Bay, tides exceeded those during the 1856 hurricane. In New Orleans, the steamer Natchez collided with the ferry Lousie. The boats linked together and drifted down the Mississippi River, until the Natchez was re-secured after passing the Belle Rowland and the C. H. Dufree. In St. Mary Parish, 34 hours of heavy rainfall and storm surge generated by "tremendous equinoctial storm" caused considerable damage to cotton and sugar cane. Inland, observers in Calcasieu Parish noted that the wind shifted with "terrific force" as the storm crossed Louisiana.

The storm brought a strong storm surge to the Texas coast, causing heavy damage and a total of 800 deaths. Three-quarters of the buildings in Indianola were washed away and the remaining structures were in a state of ruin, with only eight buildings left undamaged. Boats were washed as far as 9 miles (14 km) inland. The town may have experienced winds gusts between 145 and 150 mph (233 and 241 km/h), though the anemometer blew away after recording a wind gust of 88 mph (142 km/h).

Approximately 270 people were killed in Indianola. In the aftermath of the storm in Indianola, looters stole possessions from the deceased. Fifteen people caught looting from the dead were killed. Surviving residents of Indianola debated relocating the town. However, considerations were dropped after political ambitions interfered. The town would be rebuilt, only to be completely destroyed by the 1886 hurricane. In Cameron County, damage to a railroad resulted in a suspension of service between Brownsville and Port Isabel. The sand dunes on Matagorda Island were flattened. The hurricane killed approximately 90% of residents of Saluria, located on the eastern end of the island. Two lighthouses at Pass Cavallo were swept away, including the four light keepers. Velasco was completely leveled. The city was not rebuilt until 1888, at which time it had been relocated about 4 miles (6.4 km) farther upstream the Brazos River.

At Galveston, tides reached up to 10 ft (3.0 m) above normal, cutting two temporary channels across the island. Several houses on the eastern side of the island and a railroad bridge were destroyed. In Galveston Bay, the steamer Beardstown sunk. The storm dropped 6.48 in (165 mm) of rainfall on September 17 – a record for that date. Winds possibly reached 110 mph (180 km/h), with the wind being "higher and harder" than during the 1867 hurricane.

Farther north, Harrisburg and Houston were impacted by the hurricane. Water from Galveston Bay at Houston swept farther inland than ever recorded at the time. Trees were brought down throughout the city, with some streets resembling "forests just cut down", according to The Daily News. Fallen trees and fences blocked sidewalks on Congress Street. A number of homes were deroofed. Three buildings at the fairgrounds were destroyed. Heavy rainfall flooded some streets. Two bridges over White Oak Bayou were washed away, while a few houses along the bank of the bayou were also swept away. Damage in Houston reached about $50,000 (equivalent to $34.62 million in 2025). In Spring, heavy precipitation caused streams to overflow and streets to quickly flood, with The Daily News noting that floodwaters took "almost everything within its reach." A combination of strong winds and torrential rains damaged several miles of railroad tracks and washed out several roads. Cotton crops were completely wiped out. In Wallisville, several buildings were demolished, while moderate damage occurred in Beaumont and Liberty. Strong winds buffeted Austin County for about 48 hours, causing severe damage to vegetation and downing many trees.

The storm left a lasting impact on warnings being issued for hurricanes. Within the United States, the public was dissatisfied with the Signal Corp forecasts after the Indianola hurricane. The immediate response by the Signal Corp was the creation of the hurricane warning flag, a pair of red flags 10 by 8 ft (3.0 by 2.4 m) each in size, inset with black rectangles. From October 1, 1875, hurricane warning flags were hoisted in areas where hurricane warnings were in effect, and illuminated at night.