Because of the lives lost and damage done last year by hurricanes Matthew and Otto, those two names have been retired by the World Meteorological Organization. The trail of wreckage by the two storms stretched from Florida across a number of southern states and to the Caribbean and Central America.
Hurricane Matthew was a Category 5 Atlantic storm that took lives north of Tampa, but reached its deadly peak when it ravaged Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where hundreds of people were killed. It also did billions of dollars of damage to homes, businesses and communities across the region.
The storm also did massive damage in eastern Cuba, western Grand Bahama Island and South Carolina. By the time it dissipated, Matthew had taken 585 lives, a report in USA Today states. It had also cost $15 billion in property damage, which made it the ninth-costliest storm on record according to an insurance company source.
Otto began at the very end of the hurricane season, rapidly swelling to Category 3 intensity in the final days of November. Heavy rains and resultant floods took the lives of 18 people in Central America.
Storm names are retired when the nation hit hardest requests that the name is removed from future use because reusing the name would be insensitive to the storm’s victims. Another good reason for name retirement is that it helps eliminate confusion between hurricanes with the same name.
When the 2016 list of names is recycled in 2022, “Matthew” will be replaced with “Martin” and “Owen” will substitute for “Otto.”
When storms hit Tampa and leave behind water and flood damage, roof damage and more, far too often insurers balk at covering claims. An experienced insurance claim attorney at Williams Law Association, P.A. can help you fight for what you deserve.
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