On September 17, 1928, the Okeechobee hurricane made landfall near West Palm Beach, Florida. The storm then moved inland, driving water over the southern edge of Lake Okeechobee. The resulting flooding inundated nearby communities, particularly those with large African American and migrant populations. More than 4,000 people were killed, making it one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. The disaster led to later efforts to improve levees and flood control around the lake.
