Originally posted by StratComm
I don't know, the keys are pretty hardened against hurricanes as far as coastal regions go. Some deaths are of course inevitable when the population disregards the evacuation order, but all places are not equal in terms of disaster preparedness. A concrete and steel condo building isn't going to fare as poorly against Hurricane-forced winds and flooding as a 50+ year old brick building or a mobile home. And as much as I hate to say it, the deep South, gulf coast area (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana) are at about the bottom of the list when it comes to that. That's why where a Hurricane hits has as much bearing on how costly it is in terms of human life as how strong it is.
I agree with you fully, thats the reason I noted the keys, as I posted before Wilma hit Florida, get this, over 80% of the keys 78,000 people stayed put. Stupid or what.
I think the highest point there is just over 11 feet. And no matter what a 20 foot surge is gonna obliterate all but the strongest structures.
But, about the South you are correct, southern Florida will take the strongest hurricanes since their houses are built to code atleast 120mph winds, and thats why damage wasn't extreme in Wilma.
Charly hit farther north, and why regular houses got damaged, moblie homes were just cleaned off.
And, in turn put Wilma into Georgia or Alabama, moving at over 30mph, and your gonna have a disaster.
Hurricanes cause the damage, people cause the disaster. As in Kat, nearly all of those people cold have got out, but they stayed put, and it got e'm.
