Impact
When the first advisory was issued on Betsy, a hurricane watch was issued from Barbados to Antigua. Around that time, a hurricane watch was also issued for Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, which was later upgraded to a hurricane warning. This was the first hurricane warning in Puerto Rico to be aired on television.
The hurricane struck Guadeloupe with winds from 100–120 mph (160–195 km/h), which caused extensive damage to 1,000 houses. The communications throughout the territory were disrupted. The high winds destroyed upwards of 60% of the banana, breadfruit, coconut, and papaya crop, which severely impacted the economy. Across the French West Indies, the hurricane resulted in 18 deaths and caused $10 million in damage, $3.5 million of which from crop damage. In nearby Dominica, winds reached 69 mph (111 km/h). In Saint Croix, the hurricane dropped 3.20 in (81 mm), while winds reached 86 mph (138 km/h). In the northeastern Caribbean, Betsy capsized a ship and killed its crew of two. Another ship in the region drifted for several days south of Saint Croix due to a damaged engine.
When Betsy crossed Puerto Rico, it produced hurricane force winds across the entire territory except in the southwest corner. Sustained winds reached 73 mph (117 km/h) in San Juan, and Ramey Air Force Base on the island's northwestern portion recorded 115 mph (185 km/h) wind gusts. The high winds downed a significant number of trees in the island's interior due to the funneling within valleys. In Aibonito, the winds destroyed 1000 houses and damaged another 500, and in nearby Comerío the winds severely damaged or destroyed 1285 dwellings. In Jayuya in the central portion of the island, the hurricane left severe crop damage, including a complete loss to the banana crop. However, damage was heaviest in Yabucoa near where Betsy moved ashore, due to a slight oscillation of the eye. High winds caused severe damage in a 20 mi (32 km) radius. In Yabucoa, over 12,000 people were left homeless, and damage totaled $8 million. Damage was likewise severe where Betsy moved offshore in Camuy, with a complete loss to the corn crop, 95% of the avocado, 65% of breadfruit, and 50% of the coffee crop ruined. The hurricane dropped heavy rainfall in the central portion of the island, with a peak 24 hour total of 8.72 in (221 mm) in Río Grande. The same station recorded a total of 9.07 in (230 mm), which was the highest total related to Betsy's passage. Across Puerto Rico, Betsy destroyed 15,023 houses and left $40 million in damage. There were sixteen deaths on the island, which was less than expected due to well-heeded warnings. There were also 24 injuries in the territory related to the storm. Betsy was the first hurricane on record to be observed from the San Juan radar. On the island, it is known as the Santa Clara hurricane. Due to the damage, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower declared Puerto Rico as a disaster area on August 18, which allocated millions of dollars in assistance. The Puerto Rican governor allocated $6.7 million of funding to aid in rebuilding.
In San Salvador in the Bahamas, the hurricane produced wind gusts of 132 mph (212 km/h), and sustained winds reached 100 mph (160 km/h). The strm dropped about 5 in (130 mm) of rainfall. Betsy destroyed several houses and wrecked the roofs of several churches. Hurricane Betsy left about $380,000 in damage in the Bahamas. While delivering relief supplies to San Salvador Air Force Base, a Douglas C-124A-DL Globemaster II operated by the U.S. Air Force crashed. The plane had a right landing gear fail and as the result the plane skidded down the runway and came to a stop. One person was killed. Due to uncertainty in the storm's movement, officials issued a hurricane warning for southern Florida. Although Betsy remained far away from the state, its eye was observed on radar in Miami at a potentially record distance of 337 mi (542 km).
In the Grand Banks offshore Canada, the hurricane sunk a ship, although the entire crew was rescued.
Read more about this topic: Hurricane Betsy (1956)
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