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By: Donna Pistilli Sauer
With its temperate waters and 84 miles of white sandy beaches, Miami is a primary destination of choice for vacationers from around the world. But not only tourists eye the South Florida city. It's also one of the nation's most vulnerable targets for tropical storms and hurricanes.
Located on the eastern tip of the Florida peninsula, which juts out between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, the city lies in the midst of a path frequented by the fierce storms. On average, a tropical cyclone hits the greater Miami area once every four years. Miami averages a hit by a major hurricane once every decade.
Seemingly unfazed by the odds, Miami's two million residents and tens of millions of tourists brave the threat each year. But South Floridians are anything but oblivious to the risks.
"We get the whole nine yards," says Max Mayfield, Director of the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. "All the hazards associated with any hurricane - the storm surge, the wind, the rainfall and the tornadoes. We've had all of those."
Miami's shallow coastal waters leave it particularly vulnerable to high storm surge, and its highly developed beachfront makes the city a prime target for a hurricane's destructive winds.
1992's Hurricane Andrew was a prime example of the devastation a major hurricane can inflict on South Florida. A surge of water, 17 feet high in some locations, crashed on shore near the core of the hurricane. But Andrew's primary impact was its winds ? sustained at 145 mph with gusts to 175 mph. Hundreds of homes in its path were left in ruins, as though a giant tornado had churned across the landscape.
In all, Hurricane Andrew caused some $26 billion in damage, more than any other hurricane in U.S. history. But it could have been worse. Though close, Andrew did not make a direct hit on Miami. Instead, its center came ashore 25 miles to the south. Given the Andrew's small size, its worst effects missed Miami, Miami Beach and other heavily populated cities just to the north.
"If Andrew were to hit a little farther north the next time, and goes across more populated areas of downtown Miami - the airport, the financial district - it would easily be three to four times the cost that we had in 1992," Mayfield says.
Adding to the geographical factors making Miami vulnerable during hurricane season is the complex challenge of protecting its residents. Though instinct dictates that when a hurricane approaches, one should flee as far from the coast as possible, Mayfield says that could cause more harm than good due to South Florida's dense population and unique geography.
"We have a few million people down here in southeast Florida," Mayfield says. "We're really concerned about getting too many people on the roadways... there could be thousands of people stuck in their cars in a gridlock as the core of a major hurricane makes landfall."
Additionally, the uncertain nature of hurricanes makes their exact path very hard to forecast. People could drive hundreds of miles to flee South Florida only to be caught by the hurricane farther upstate. "So it's really a double-edged sword here," Mayfield says.
As an alternative to evacuating hundreds of miles upstate, emergency managers urge Miami residents to leave the immediate coast to escape the storm surge, but remain within Miami-Dade County.
"Down here, we evacuate for storm surge... you flee from water and you hide from the wind," Mayfield says. "If you're in one of the storm evacuation zones, you do need to get to a safe shelter, but we want you to go tens of miles instead of hundreds of miles."
Changes to South Florida's since building codes since Hurricane Andrew have led to stronger, safer structures that can provide adequate shelter during a hurricane. "South Florida has reacted, has learned its lesson from Andrew," says Mayfield. "Building codes have beefed up. If you can possibly build a house that's strong enough and shutter the house to keep the wind from coming in... it will be a safe shelter during a hurricane."
"I think the history books will teach us that we have a long history of hurricanes in South Florida and there is no reason to thing that is going to change," he adds.
Nothing can change the natural factors that leave Miami vulnerable to the fury of a hurricane. And with the continuing trend of population increase the city will grow more and more vulnerable over time. But through lessons learned from the past, Miami should be more prepared for the next hit.
Vulnerable Cities Index
Long Island |
Tampa |
Miami |
New Orleans |
Galveston |
Wilmington
Lessons Learned
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