Hurricane Carol was among the worst tropical cyclones on record to
affect the New England region of the United States. It developed from a
tropical wave near the Bahamas on August 25, 1954, and slowly
strengthened as it moved northwestward, developing into a major
hurricane. While paralleling the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United
States, the storm produced strong winds and rough seas that caused minor
coastal flooding and slight damage to houses. It made landfall on Long
Island, New York, and Connecticut on August 31 near peak intensity.
Early on the following day, Carol transitioned into an extratropical
cyclone over New Hampshire. In New York, storm surge flooded LaGuardia
Airport and inundated Montauk Highway, leaving the eastern portion of
Long Island isolated. There were 65 deaths and 1,000 injuries in New
England. About 150,000 people were left without electricity in the
region, and over 1,500 houses were destroyed. Overall, Carol caused
68 fatalities and damage totaled about $460 million (1954 USD),
making it the costliest hurricane in U.S. history at the time. Following
the storm, Carol became the first name to be removed from the naming
lists in the Atlantic basin.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Carol>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1271:
The Knights Hospitaller surrendered the Krak des Chevaliers to
the army of the Mamluk sultan Baibars.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krak_des_Chevaliers>
1740:
War of the Austrian Succession: The Royal Navy captured the
Spanish ship of the line Princesa and mustered her into British service.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Princess_(1740)>
1904:
British occultist and writer Aleister Crowley began
transcribing The Book of the Law, a Holy Book in Thelema.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_the_Law>
1911:
Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered
superconductivity.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superconductivity>
2008:
The wind turbines at the Bahrain World Trade Center (pictured),
the first building to incorporate turbines into its design, became
operational.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahrain_World_Trade_Center>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
cross swords:
(idiomatic) To quarrel or argue with someone, to have a dispute with
someone.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cross_swords>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Life is short, short, brother! Ain't it the truth? And there is
no other Ain't it the truth? You gotta rock that rainbow while you still
got your youth! Oh! Ain't it the solid truth?
--Yip Harburg
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Yip_Harburg>