Hurricane Alicia hit the Houston area 36 years ago this week Due to the destruction, the hurricane’s name was retired

PHOTOS: The destruction of Hurricane Alicia

This week older Houstonians are remembering Hurricane Alicia, the violent Category 3 storm that cost nearly $2 billion in damages and was so destructive that its name would be retired the following year. Alicia made landfall Aug. 18, 1983 and held the record for cost of damages until being surpassed by Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 and Hurricane Ike in 2008.

See more photos of the storm that caused damages across six Houston-area counties... less PHOTOS: The destruction of Hurricane Alicia

This week older Houstonians are remembering Hurricane Alicia, the violent Category 3 storm that cost nearly $2 billion in damages and was so destructive that its ... more Photo: Houston Post Photo: Houston Post Image 1 of / 143 Caption Close Hurricane Alicia hit the Houston area 36 years ago this week 1 / 143 Back to Gallery

For many Houstonians, this week brings back memories of Hurricane Alicia, the violent Category 3 storm that cost nearly $2 billion in damages and was so destructive that its name would be retired the following year.

Alicia, which made landfall Aug. 18, 1983, held the record for cost of damages until being surpassed by Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, Hurricane Ike in 2008 and Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

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When Alicia hit, it proved to be the most significant test yet for the 15-foot-high seawall built in Galveston to prevent a repeat of the hurricane of 1900 that wiped out the city, killing at least 6,000 people.

Alicia formed Aug. 15, 1983, just south of New Orleans in the north-central Gulf and tracked to the west-northwest until it made landfall.

Alicia also spawned multiple tornadoes, 14 alone between Galveston and Houston in just one day.

Parts of Galveston experienced severe structural damage. But the seawall held during the storm surge and saved the coastal area from devastation.

With wind speeds at 115 miles per hour, Alicia destroyed 2,000 homes and apartments and damaged more than 16,000 other residences.

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Windows were shattered on Houston skyscrapers, and with 8,000 miles of power line out of working order, nearly 750,000 people lost power, some for up to 12 days while crews did their best to restore service.

Sadly, Alicia would claim the lives of 21 people.

President Ronald Reagan would declare Harris, Galveston, Chambers, Matagorda, Brazoria and Fort Bend counties disaster areas.

The roofs of more than 50 major structures at the Johnson Space Center were damaged, and the ground was strewn with toppled trees and broken windows.

Galveston's Flagship Hotel received heavy damage during Alicia but bounced back, only to finally be so damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2008 that it was later demolished. In its place the Pleasure Pier was constructed.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report on Alicia was released the next year.

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