Hurricane Andrew was a deadly hurricane that came ashore in 1992, wreaking havoc through several states. Hurricane Andrew damaged homes and killed residents throughout Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Hurricane Andrew was a small but fierce hurricane storm that caused catastrophic damage to the economy and to land along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico between August 16 and August 28, 1992. The damages incurred were estimated to be the highest in the United States history for a natural disaster up until that date. Many lives were lost in the U.S. as a result of the storm; however, considering the hurricane's destruction the number seems to be remarkably low.
During the afternoon of August 23, Hurricane Andrew passed over the Bahaman islands, creating storm surge flooding. On the 24th storm surge was generated along the coastline of southern Florida. In Louisiana, storm tides were at a minimum 8 ft. causing widespread flooding. Torrential rainfall associated with the storm was also to blame for flooding. Hammond, Louisiana reported the highest rainfall total, which was 11.92 inches. Elsewhere in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida rainfall accumulations were exceeding 7 inches.
26 people died as a direct result of Hurricane Andrew. Additionally, another 29 people died due to indirect circumstances. It is unfortunate that lives were lost, but at the same time, none were lost in America. The non-existent loss of life in America is attributed to good evacuation programs and hurricane preparedness. It is reported that the majority of deaths occurred during the recovery phase rather than during the beginning.
The high winds associated with Hurricane Andrew caused extreme damage to structures, with Dade County, Florida being the hardest hit. The lives lost were unfortunate, yet were much less than those lost from hurricanes of similar size and strength. The greatest life threatening element of a hurricane is the storm surge, according to historical data. Some people were probably saved by evacuation efforts in Florida, as evidenced by the fact that no lives were lost there even though it was the hardest hit area. The success of the hurricane preparedness programs and timely evacuation proves that it is important to continue these programs and preparedness education.
