 Surface weather analysis of Hurricane Janet near peak intensity on September 28, 1955 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 21, 1955 |
| Dissipated | September 30, 1955 |
| Category 5 major hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 175 mph (280 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | ≤914mbar (hPa); ≤26.99 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 1,023+ direct |
| Damage | $65.8 million (1955USD) |
| Areas affected | Barbados,Windward Islands,British Honduras,Yucatán Peninsula, mainlandMexico |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the1955 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Janet was the most powerfultropical cyclone of the1955 Atlantic hurricane season and one of the strongestAtlantic hurricanes on record. Janet was also the first named storm to cause 1,000 deaths and the first Category 5 storm name to be retired. The eleventh tropical storm, ninth hurricane, and fourthmajor hurricane of the year,[nb 1] Janet formed from atropical wave east of theLesser Antilles on September 21. Moving westward across theCaribbean Sea, Janet fluctuated in intensity, but generally strengthened before reaching its peak intensity as aCategory 5 hurricane with winds of 175 mph (282 km/h). The intense hurricane later madelandfall at that intensity nearChetumal,Mexico on September 28. After weakening over theYucatán Peninsula, it moved into theBay of Campeche, where it slightly strengthened before making its final landfall nearVeracruz on September 29. Janet quickly weakened over Mexico's mountainous terrain before dissipating on September 30.
In its developmental stages, Janet caused $7.8 million in damage to the Lesser Antilles and 189 deaths in theGrenadines andBarbados.[nb 2] While Janet was in the central Caribbean Sea, areconnaissance aircraft flew into the storm and was lost with all hands. This remains the only such loss which has occurred in association with an Atlantic hurricane. A Category 5 upon landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula, Janet caused severe devastation in areas ofQuintana Roo andBritish Honduras. Only five buildings in Chetumal, Mexico remained intact after the storm, and an estimated 500 deaths occurred in theMexican state of Quintana Roo. At Janet's second landfall near Veracruz, significant riverflooding ensued, worsening effects caused by HurricanesGladys andHilda earlier in the month. The floods left thousands of people stranded and killed at least 326 people in theTampico area, leading to the largest Mexican relief operation ever executed by the United States.
Janet's landfall as a Category 5 hurricane on the Yucatán Peninsula was the first recorded instance of a storm of such intensity in the Atlantic making landfall on a continentalmainland; prior to Janet, landfalls of Category 5 intensity were only known to have taken place on islands.[2] Janet's minimumbarometric pressure, recorded in Chetumal, was at the time the second-lowest-recorded pressure on land associated with a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic, behind the1935 Labor Day hurricane. At least 1,023 deaths were attributed to Hurricane Janet, as well as $65.8 million in damages.
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionA weak tropical disturbance was first reported by theAir France andIberia airlines east of theLesser Antilles early on September 21. Although it was speculated that the disturbance originated from atropical wave nearCape Verde, theWeather Bureau considered the system too weak to be detected due to a lack ofreports from the islands.[3] At 1800UTC on September 21, while it was located 350 miles (560 km) east-southeast ofMartinique,[4][5] the disturbance became sufficiently organized for the Weather Bureau to classify it as Tropical Storm Janet, the tenth named storm of the season.[5] Upon classification, Janet quickly intensified as it moved to the west.[4][6] On September 22, Janet attained hurricane strength, and proceeded tointensify rapidly as it moved westward across theWindward Islands.[3] By 1200 UTC that day, Janet already attainedCategory 3 hurricane strength withmaximum sustained winds of 120 mph (190 km/h), before stalling in intensification.[4]
Shortly after 1700 UTC on September 22, theeye of Janet passed south ofBarbados as a Category 1 Hurricane.[7] Areconnaissance flight into the hurricane discovered that the Hurricane Janet's eye measured only 20 miles (32 km) in diameter,[3] with gale-force winds extending 120 miles (190 km) away from the center of circulation.[6] The flight also reported a minimumbarometric pressure of 979 mbar (28.9 inHg). After passing between the islands ofGrenada andCarriacou in the morning hours of September 23, Janet entered an area of unfavorable conditions in the easternCaribbean Sea.[3] As a result, the hurricane became disorganized, with winds weakening to 90 mph (140 km/h) by 1200 UTC on September 23.[4][3] AU.S. Navy reconnaissance plane entered the hurricane early on September 24, reporting a lack of organization, and noting an indiscernible center of circulation with weakrainbands.[3] However, the hurricane began to reintensify in favorable conditions, regaining major hurricane strength by 1200 UTC on September 24 and subsequentlyCategory 4 hurricane intensity by the next day.[6][4]
While trekking across the central Caribbean Sea, Janet was only slightly larger than while it was moving over the Windward Islands, with gale-force winds extending 125 miles (201 km) out from the center by September 25.[6] Remaining a Category 4 hurricane as it moved erratically westward across the Caribbean, a reconnaissance flight mission during the night of September 25–26 indicated strong rainbands with frequentlightning strikes and a well-defined eye, evidence that the storm was once again rapidly intensifying.[3] As it neared theYucatán Peninsula on September 26, Janet began accelerating in forward speed.[6] After the reconnaissance flightSnowcloud Five was lost while making a penetration into the hurricane's eye, another flight early on September 27 reported a minimum pressure of 938 mbar (27.7 inHg), with winds in excess of 115 mph (185 km/h) "by a large and incalculable amount."[3] The hurricane was estimated to have intensified toCategory 5 hurricane intensity—the highest rating on the modern-daySaffir–Simpson hurricane scale—at 1700 UTC on September 27, shortly before passing over theSwan Islands. Janet continued to intensify afterwards, eventually reaching its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (282 km/h),[4] with gale-force winds having expanded to at least 250 miles (400 km) away from the center of the hurricane.[6] Janet maintained peak intensity as it madelandfall in extreme southern Quintana Roo, Mexico, just east of Chetumal, Mexico. In that city, an anemometer at the airport reported winds of 175 mph (282 km/h) before being blown away, and abarometer indicated a minimum barometric pressure of 914 mbar (27.0 inHg) in the eye of Janet.[3] At the time, this was the second-lowest pressure ever recorded on land in a landfallingAtlantic hurricane, behind the1935 Labor Day hurricane,[3] though Janet was later surpassed by hurricanesDean andGilbert, which also made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula as Category 5 hurricanes.[8]
Once over land, Janet considerably weakened to aCategory 2 hurricane with winds of 105 mph (169 km/h). After crossing the Yucatán Peninsula with a forward speed of 21 mph (34 km/h), the hurricane emerged into theBay of Campeche by 1600 UTC on September 28.[4][6] The weakened hurricane marginally intensified as it crossed the Bay of Campeche to a secondary peak intensity of 110 mph (180 km/h) with a minimum central pressure of 950 mbar (28 inHg).[4] Janet eventually made its final landfall 50 miles (80 km) north of the city ofVeracruz by 2200 UTC on September 29 as a Category 2 hurricane. After moving inland, the hurricane became quickly disorganized due to the highly mountainous terrain ofMexico, and as a result the Weather Bureau issued its last advisory on Janet.[6] The weakening system degenerated to tropical storm strength by September 30, and later dissipated over central Mexico by 0600 UTC that day.[4] Janet's remnant circulation contributed to the development of a disturbed area of weather off the western coast of Mexico that would subsequently develop into atropical storm on October 1.[6]
Upon Janet's formation east of the Windward Islands, the Weather Bureau office inSan Juan, Puerto Rico advisedsmall craft to remain in port and vessels in the path of the developing storm to exercise caution. After a reconnaissance flight reported much stronger winds than initially suggested,hurricane warnings were issued at 1600 UTC on September 22 for the entirety of the Lesser Antilles fromSaint Lucia to Grenada, including Barbados.Storm warnings were issued for all islands in the Windward Islands from Saint Lucia south toTobago, excludingSt. Vincent and the Grenadines. All warnings in the Windward Antilles remained in effect until 1000 UTC on September 22. Shortly after warnings were lowered in the Windward Islands, storm warnings were issued for theABC islands and theParaguaná Peninsula ofVenezuela at 0200 UTC on September 23. After Janet passed north of the islands, all storm warnings were lifted on the morning of September 25. The Weather Bureau later warned interests in Jamaica, but did not issue any hurricane-related warnings for the island.[6]
The Weather Bureau first began cautioning areas ofCentral America at 1600 UTC on September 26, advising people in areas of northeastNicaragua andHonduras to take precautionary measures, along with all vessels and small craft in theGulf of Honduras south toCabo Gracias a Dios. After Janet began accelerating towards the west-northwest, advisories warned areas inBritish Honduras andQuintana Roo of hurricane-related impacts. Though no official warnings were issued for areas of Central America, advisories published by the Weather Bureau cautioned interests in the hurricane's path up until landfall.[6] Evacuations took place in several coastal towns in Quintana Roo upon notification of the oncoming storm. People were evacuated to inland hillside shelters.[9] After the hurricane moved through the Yucatán Peninsula and entered the Bay of Campeche, the Weather Bureau alerted areas in the storm's path on the western side of Mexico's Gulf Coast. At the time, Janet was expected to make landfall between Veracruz andTuxpan. Areas were warned of the storm's potential flooding and coastal impacts. The Weather Bureau advised all small craft south ofPort O'Connor, Texas to remain in port. Notifications of Janet to potentially affected areas were stopped after the hurricane made landfall.[6]
| Region | Total deaths | Damage(USD) | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbados | 38 | $5 million | [3][10] |
| British Honduras | 16 | $5 million | [3][11] |
| Grenadines | 122 | $3.8 million | [3] |
| Hurricane Hunters | 11 | N/A | [3] |
| Quintana Roo | 500 | $40 million | [3][11] |
| Sonora | 0 | $12 million | [3] |
| Tamaulipas | 326 | Unknown | [12] |
| Tobago | 10 | Unknown | [13] |
| Veracruz | Unknown | Unknown | [3] |
| Totals: | 1,023+ | $65.8 million | |
| Because of differing sources, totals may not match. | |||
During its existence, areas of theLesser Antilles, ABC islands, and Central America were affected by Janet.[6] At least $65.8 million in damages and 1,023 deaths were caused by the hurricane, mostly in Quintana Roo.[3][13][11] The large number of deaths and damage caused by Janet helped make the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season the deadliest and costliest hurricane season documented since comprehensive record of such statistics began in 1942.[3]
As a small but rapidly intensifying hurricane, Janet passed just south of Barbados on September 22, becoming the first hurricane to strike the island in 57 years, since the1898 Windward Islands Hurricane, untilHurricane Elsa struck the island in 2021. Maximum sustained winds on the south side of the island were estimated to be between 110–120 mph (180–190 km/h).[3] The strong winds knocked out communication lines, preventing officials from accurately enumerating casualties on the island,[14] though communications were still maintained by commercial cable companies andamateur radio.[15] Electric power was later restored, allowing newspapers to publish information on the storm.[16]Sugar cane, the island country's main source of revenue, was severely damaged, with losses estimated to be in excess of $1 million.[14] Poorly constructed dwellings were blown apart by the strong winds.[17] An estimated 8,100 homes were damaged by the hurricane.[18] The destroyed buildings and trees blockedhighways,[17] and theSeawell Airport was forced to close.[19] Heavy rains peaked at 4 inches (100 mm) and astorm surge of 7 feet (2.1 m) swept away low-lying houses along the coast.[9] An estimated 2,000 people were left homeless due to the hurricane.[10] Property damage on Barbados was estimated to be $5 million,[10] and at least 57 people were killed.[11]
On September 23 Janet passed directly between Grenada and Carriacou in theGrenadines, killing 122 people in theisland chain.[3] Anairport on Grenada was covered in debris strewn by the strong winds. Eight people were killed in a small town adjacent to the airport. Strong winds were also reported to have destroyed docks and warehouses, and unroofed a hotel inSt. George's, Grenada.[20] Houses were also unroofed, andbalconies of government offices in St. George's were torn off.[21] All bridges in the island's interior regions collapsed,[22] and spice crops sustained heavy damage.[23] An estimated 75% ofnutmeg plantations were destroyed,[24] along with nearly all of the island's banana andcocoa crops.[25] Three ships were also grounded in the local harbor.[23] In The Carenage, the waterfront region of St. George's, debris was scattered and an 820-foot (250 m)pier collapsed.[24]St. Vincent was mostly destroyed,[26] and St. Lucia suffered significant coastal damage.[27] Over $2.8 million in damages were estimated throughout the Grenadines.[3] Farther south, inPort of Spain, a church being used as a storm shelter collapsed, killing ten people.[13]
Hurricane Janet skirted theABC islands with strong winds as it passed to the north from September 24–25.[4] InAruba, gusts peaked at 50 mph (80 km/h), uprooting trees. However, damage outside of trees was primarily insignificant. InBonaire, piers were destroyed, and the island's coastal boulevard was damaged. Beach facilities atCuraçao's Piscadera and Vaersen Bays suffered considerable damage. Quays along the harbor entrance were also damaged.[28]
On September 26, thehurricane hunterP2V-3W Neptune aircraft Snowcloud Five, led by U.S. NavyLieutenant Commander Grover B. Windham, was sent fromGuantánamo Bay to investigate Janet, which was at the time a Category 4 hurricane south ofJamaica.[29] Upon penetration of the hurricane's eyewall at an altitude of 700 feet (210 m), a final transmission was received from the reconnaissance flight before it presumably crashed in the Caribbean Sea.[30] All 11 people on board, including nine crew members and two journalists, were killed.[30] Following the loss of the plane, an extensivesearch and rescue operation took place over a large area of the Caribbean Sea, with 3,000 personnel involved with the search, returning no results.[29] The exact cause of the crash remains unknown, though it is speculated that the plane'saltimeter gave an incorrect reading due to the low surrounding barometric pressure[30] or that the excess workload placed on one of the crew members due to another crew member having been replaced by one of the reporters caused him to lose track of the plane's height above the water.[29] Although four hurricane reconnaissance flights have been lost since operations began in 1943, Snowcloud Five remains the only known loss of a reconnaissance aircraft as a result of a hurricane in the Atlantic basin, with the other three occurring as a result ofPacific typhoons.[31]
As it approached the Yucatán Peninsula, Janet passed over the Swan Islands north of Honduras as a Category 5 hurricane on September 27.[4] The hurricane caused rough seas, and strong winds uprooted trees andantennas. After gusts exceeded an estimated 100 mph (160 km/h), officials on the islands took shelter in a Navyseismograph building.[3][32] Though no deaths were reported, Janet destroyed almost all buildings on the islands. The U.S. Weather Bureau andCivil Aeronautics Authority requested food and supplies for 82 people on the island after the storm passed.[33]
After passing the Swan Islands, Janet made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula between Corozal Town, British Honduras, and Chetumal, Mexico, at 1700 UTC on September 28.[3] At the time, it had winds of 175 mph (282 km/h).[4]Hurricane-force winds were reported for two hours preceding the hurricane's landfall, with numerous pressure readings below 948 mbar (28.0 inHg).[3] Roads and crops on the peninsula sustained heavy damage due to Janet.[34] InXcalak,Quintana Roo the strong winds from Janet flattened the port's infrastructure, and only one house remained intact after the storm's passage.[35] 97 people were killed in Xcalak, constituting more than a third of the port's population.[36] Chetumal, Mexico was devastated, with only four buildings left standing. Storm surge pushed water to a depth of 6.5 feet (2.0 m), 1,600 feet (490 m) inland, despite the peninsula protecting the city from the open ocean. The death toll in Chetumal remains uncertain; 120 bodies were recovered in the city but it is unknown how many were ever found.[3] An additional 10,000 people in the city were left homeless after the hurricane, and were forced to sleep in the open overnight.[37] Federalrelief agencies previously providing service for areas affected by Hurricanes Gladys and Hilda earlier in the year in western areas of theGulf Coast of Mexico were ordered to extend relief operations to the Yucatán Peninsula.[38] In Quintana Roo, Hurricane Janet was estimated to have caused $40 million in damages and at least 500 deaths, the most of any region affected by Janet.[3]
Making landfall near the border between Mexico and British Honduras, the latter colony'sCorozal andOrange Walkdistricts, containing a population of 15,500 at the time, experienced severe devastation from Janet. Strong hurricane winds knocked down and damaged numerous trees across British Honduras, particularly in the Freshwater Creek Forest Preserve. There, an estimated 30% of all trees had been damaged, especiallymahogany andsapodilla trees. Hurricane Janet also caused extensive damage to crops, with an estimated $2.631 million in damages.Fruit trees,maize, and sugar cane crops suffered the most damage. Sugar cane was expected to have a 20% decrease in yield due to the damage sustained after the storm.Pineapple crops andlivestock experienced less significant losses. To a lesser extent, the hurricane also affected theBelize District and several of British Honduras' offshorecayes. Similar to Corozal and Orange Walk Districts, corn, trees, and coconut experienced the most severe damage of any crop.[39]
InCorozal Town, British Honduras, south of where Janet made landfall, 500 people were made homeless, and six people were killed.[40] About 90% of all buildings in the town were destroyed,[41] and communications were knocked out by the strong winds.[40] Based on an average home cost of $2,000, it was estimated that property damage to homes in Corozal Town totaled $800,000.[39] Much ofSanta Elena, British Honduras was also flattened by the strong winds.[37] Farther south inBelize City, winds peaked at 60 mph (97 km/h), though no damage was reported.[42] In British Honduras, the hurricane's effects were less deadly than in Quintana Roo,[43] but in northern portions of the colony the storm killed 16 people and caused $5 million in damages.[3]
While in the Bay of Campeche, theshrimp boatCelestino Arias was sunken by strong waves generated by Janet after it sufferedengine failures. The stranded ship was heavily damaged by the hurricane's strong winds in the bay, which broke towing lines. All of the ship's crewmen, which had evacuated the boat after it sunk, were later rescued and brought back toTampa, Florida.[44] Along the coast, tides were reported to be 3–4 feet (0.91–1.22 m) above average. Farther north along the Texas coast, tides were 2 feet (0.61 m) above average, blocking beach roads nearCorpus Christi.[45]
Janet made its final landfall in the Mexican state ofVeracruz between the cities ofNautla andVeracruz as a Category 2 hurricane at 2200 UTC on September 29.[4] In Nautla, communications were cut by strong winds from the hurricane.[46] The strong winds also caused a relief plane to crash, causing five deaths.[47] Heavy rains in theTampico,Tamaulipas area added to floods caused by hurricanes Gladys and Hilda earlier in the year. The resulting flood was reported by the Weather Bureau office in New Orleans to be one of the worstnatural disasters in Mexican history.[3] In Tampico, 16 inches (410 mm) of rain was reported.[48] The floods contributed to a localizedtyphoid fever anddysentery outbreak,[49][50] causing over 1,000 people to evacuate out of the city to prevent further spreading of the diseases. An additional 36,000 people were being cared for in concentration centers.[50] Although located south of where Janet made landfall, areas of Veracruz were inundated by strongstorm surge, including the city's main streets and port.[46] Operations along arailroad stretching fromLaredo, Texas toMexico City were stopped, after having just reopened due to Hurricane Hilda.[51]
Farther inland, as Janet dissipated over the mountainous central Mexico, the storm dropped torrential rainfall over theTamesí andPánuco River basins.[52] The water levels in the Panuco River remained aboveflood stage for four weeks.[53] In Tampico, the river flooded neighborhoods, forcing cables to be stretched along roads to prevent people from being swept away. Small boats were also sent to monitor streets.[54] According to some sources, 800 people died from the floods, with thousands more being stranded in the city.[52]Tamazunchale was inundated by an overflowingMoctezuma River.[55] The rains caused alandslide inColonia San Rafael, killing 12 people.[47] Heavy rains also impactedGuadalajara, which had previously not been affected by any tropical cyclones earlier in the year. In Maltarana,Jalisco, theLerma andDuero Rivers overflowed, forcing 800 people in the town to evacuate.[54] Farther north, inSonora, cotton crops damaged by Janet were estimated to amount to $12 million in damages.[56] Combined property damage in Mexico from Hurricanes Gladys, Hilda, and Janet was estimated to total $200 million, nearly half of the government's 1955national budget.[57] Although there were no official damage or fatality estimates,[3] at least 1,000 people were injured and another 100,000 people were made homeless on the Mexican mainland due to Janet.[58]
After Janet passed Barbados, the island was declared to be in astate of emergency.[16] Relief workers on Barbados helped to clean up debris scattered by the strong winds on highways, and the local government made requests for food and construction materials.[59] The extensive damaged caused by Janet on the island to low-income households led the passage of the 1955 Housing Act, which created the National Housing Authority (NHA) in 1956. The NHA was responsible for the acquisition of lands on which houses could be built with stronger and more permanent materials, which was thought to minimize maintenance costs and hurricane-related damage. The newly founded organization quickly worked to rebuild homes after the hurricane struck.[60]
In Grenada, the island's governor issued an emergency order against thehoarding of food in the aftermath of Janet, due to the food and water shortage that resulted from Janet. A United Statesdestroyer and a Britishfrigate were sent to bring relief supplies to Grenada, and ships departing from Jamaica and Trinidad were redirected to the island to help send supplies.[61] The British government later announced that it would send£50,000 (US$155,000) in relief to the Grenadines.[nb 3][63] TheCrown Agents andRed Cross delivered relief supplies to Barbados and the Grenadines, which included aluminum roofing sheets and portableelectric generators.[64]
Relief and reconstruction measures were enacted in the British Honduras beginning on September 30.[39] A large-scale reconstruction program was initiated by the government to help rebuild 48 villages.[65] The government also declared a state of emergency for Corozal, Orange Walk, and Belize administrative districts, including a ban onliquor sales. Temporary communication lines were rebuilt, which initially only allowed official communications with affected areas. Due to the severity of the damage in Corozal, anairstrip was built to help deliver relief to the city more efficiently. Food depots in Corozal,Louisville, andOrange Walk Town were tasked with distributing food. The potential for widespread disease following the devastation wrought by Janet forced a widespreadvaccination initiative against typhoid fever in affected areas.[39] The Jamaican government sent £20,000 (US$55,000) to the colony in relief funds,[64] while the British government sent £40,000 (US$110,000) to affected areas in the British Honduras and other affected islands in the Caribbean. The United States sent thecargo shipUSSAntares, which supplied the colony with various relief materials.[39] In Corozal Town, a $3.5 million grant was given toland surveyor H.C. Fairweather to plan and reconstruct the township.[66]
A U.S. Navy relief plane was sent to Chetumal, Mexico, to deliver food and other relief supplies after Janet struck the region.[67] In areas previously affected by hurricanes Gladys and Hilda earlier in the year, federalrelief agencies were ordered to extend relief operations to the Yucatán Peninsula.[38] However, after crossing the Bay of Campeche and making landfall near Veracruz, relief measures were once again implemented in the western Gulf Coast of Mexico. TheMexican Air Force, commercial and private planes, andhelicopters were sent to bring relief supplies andairlift refugees.[68] The United States initiated the largest relief campaign ever staged in Mexico at the time. Various government and relief agencies, including theAmerican Red Cross andThe Salvation Army, participated in the relief efforts.[69] TheU.S. Air Force andUnited States Army began a joint-relief operation to send relief supplies to the Tampico area, beginning with the deployment of aCurtiss C-46 Commando from theHarlingen Air Force Base on October 1.[47] Ten othermilitary transport aircraft from the U.S. Air Force were sent from Texas to provide food and clothing.Pan American World Airways sent aBoeing 314 fromMiami,Florida to evacuate victims.[56] Helicopters were sent from theUSSSaipan to transfer food and medical supplies from thelight aircraft carrier. Other ships also aided in delivering supplies,[70] including theUSSSiboney, which also deployed helicopters to assist in relief efforts. By October 6, 1,500 people were estimated to have been rescued from the Tampico area, and at least 280,000 lb (130,000 kg) of food and clothing materials were estimated to have been delivered by the US Air Force to the city.[56] There, typhoidserum shots were administered as a precautionary measure.[12] FormerpresidentManuel Ávila Camacho died of a heart ailment, in part due to over-exertion in helping in the relief efforts.[71]
Due to the destruction and loss of life left in its wake, the nameJanet wasretired by the U.S. Weather Bureau following the 1955 season. It was one of four names retired that year.Janet was also the first category five storm name and the first name beginning with the letter J to retire in the Atlantic basin.[72]
The nameJanet appeared on the designated storm name lists for 1960, 1964, and 1968 but was never used in those years. In 1969, a policy change permanently retiredJanet. No name replacement was selected forJanet as the four-year lists used then were replaced in 1971 by a new series of 10 lists running through 1980 before recycling.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.At the service, it was recalled that the natural disaster struck the island on September 22, 1955. The death toll was recorded at 33, with an additional two persons missing at sea. One hundred and fifty people were injured needing hospital treatment. Over 8 000 homes were destroyed and 20,000 people made homeless.
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