Anniversary of Nation's Worst Disaster

From the Aqua satellite, Hurricane Gustav is seen hitting the Louisiana coast. Image made 2 PM, Sept. 1.

108 years ago last night (Sept. 8, 1900), the worst disaster in our nation's history hit Galveston, Texas. 6-8 thousand people died when a massive hurricane devastated this once huge city. Despite Katrina and the bad scares we have had this year, we often forget how many thousand people have been saved from death by current meteorological technology, which, of course, is, to a great extent possible by our nation's space program. Soon after this tragedy, a huge sea wall was constructed on the gulf coast at Galveston. When I was there in 2001, it was almost haunting to think of the tragedy that took place there so many years ago. Strangely enough, a Wal Mart employee, a few hundred feet from that sea wall, told me in 2001 that they were overdue for a hurricane. Unfortunately, before I got home, a tropical storm hit the area, drowning a few people in the Houston area.