15 years later, you still won’t believe these photos and stats from Hurricane Ike

The storm caused billions of dollars in damage

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2008 Getty Images

CRYSTAL BEACH, TX - SEPTEMBER 14: Houses sit among debris after Hurricane Ike made landfall September 14, 2008 in Crystal Beach, Texas. Floodwaters from Hurricane Ike are reportedly as high as eight feet in some areas causing widespread damage across the coast of Texas. (Photo by David J. Phillip-Pool/Getty Images)

With estimated maximum sustained winds of nearly 110 mph, Ike made landfall over Galveston Island as a Category 2 Hurricane at 2:10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008. The storm killed dozens of people and caused $29.5 billion in damages, becoming one of the most devastating hurricanes in U.S. history.

RELATED: KPRC 2′s team share their memories of Hurricane Ike

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Hurricane Ike by the numbers:

Information per the Harris County Flood Control District, National Weather Service and the Texas General Land Office.

Storm Surge

  • Highest storm surge recorded on Galveston Island since 1915
  • Storm surge extended 15-18 miles inland over Chambers County
  • Highest surge level in recorded history at Sabine Pass, Texas (14.24 feet)
  • 1.2 to 1.5 million residents evacuated from zip code evacuation zones prior to landfall
  • Storm surge levels averaged near the 1% (100-yr) levels for Harris County

Wind

  • 110 mph sustained winds at landfall, a strong Category 2 hurricane
  • Peak gusts of 82 mph at Houston Intercontinental Airport IAH and 92 mph at Hobby Airport
  • 8 to11 hours of tropical storm force winds

Damages

  • Caused an estimated $29.5 billion in damages
  • 34 Texas counties declared federal disaster areas
  • 92,000 homes damaged in Harris County
  • 2,400 injuries in Harris County
  • 11 fatalities in Harris County
  • 7,100 businesses damaged in Harris County
  • 3,266 homes destroyed on Bolivar Peninsula
  • 24,165 structures damaged in Galveston County
  • 646 businesses damaged in Galveston County
  • 700 homes destroyed in Chambers County; 3,418 additional with major damage
  • 2,431 signals damaged in the City of Houston
  • 52 oil platforms destroyed

Photos

Debris from Hurricane Ike is shown in this aerial view Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008 in Crystal Beach, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool) (AP2008)
A destroyed vehicle sits along State Hwy 87, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, in Crystal Beach, Texas. The small coastal town suffered catastrophic damage in the wake of Hurricane Ike. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) (AP2008)
CRYSTAL BEACH, TX - SEPTEMBER 17: A home and a car lie destroyed by Hurricane Ike September 17, 2008 in Crystal Beach, Texas. Hurricane Ike caused widespread damage and power outages on the Texas coast. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (2008 Getty Images)
Cyclists ride past debris piled up on the seawall road after Hurricane Ike hit the Texas coast, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008, in Galveston, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (AP2008)
File - In this Sept. 12, 2008 file photo, fire destroys homes along the beach on Galveston Island, Texas as Hurricane Ike approaches. More than a third of the $3 billion in federal disaster recovery funds from hurricanes Ike and Dolly remains unspent seven and a half years after the storms battered the Texas coast, new state reports show. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) (AP Photo)
HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 13: A driver surveys a stretch of Interstate 10 flooded by Hurricane Ike September 13, 2008 near Houston, Texas. Ike made landfall near Galveston, TX early today as a category 2 hurricane with wind speeds of around 110 MPH. causing massive flooding and wind damage. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) (2008 Getty Images)
FILE - In this Sept. 24, 2008, file photo, residents looks over debris left in the the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in Galveston, Texas. The city of Galveston has been ordered to pay nearly $15 million to a fired contractor that was overseeing some federally funded housing recovery after Hurricane Ike hit in 2008. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) (AP2008)
HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 13: Cars are stranded in flood waters left by Hurricane Ike on Interstate 10 September 13, 2008 near Houston, Texas. Ike made landfall near Galveston, TX early today as a category 2 hurricane with wind speeds of around 110 MPH. causing massive flooding and wind damage. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) (2008 Getty Images)
GALVESTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 13: A man inspects a field of debris on Rt. 45 left by Hurricane Ike September 13, 2008 in Galveston, Texas. Hurricane Ike made landfall in the middle of the night causing wide spread damage to the Texas coast. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (2008 Getty Images)
GALVESTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 13: Workers clear debris off of Rt.45 left by Hurricane Ike September 13, 2008 in Galveston Texas. Hurricane Ike made landfall in the middle of the night causing wide spread damage to the Texas coast. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (2008 Getty Images)
HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 14: Interstate 10 is flooded and impassable following Hurricane Ike September 14, 2008 in Houston, Texas. Ike caused extensive damage along the Texas Gold Coast, leaving millions without power. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) (2008 Getty Images)

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What do you remember most about Ike? Share your stories in the comments below.


About the Author:

Briana Zamora-Nipper joined the KPRC 2 digital team in 2019. When she’s not hard at work in the KPRC 2 newsroom, you can find Bri drinking away her hard earned wages at JuiceLand, running around Hermann Park, listening to crime podcasts or ransacking the magazine stand at Barnes & Noble.