http://www.hurricanesafetyzone.com/hurricane-safety/hurricanes.html Hurricanes are more than just a tornado on water. If you don't live in an area that's prone to hurricanes, you may not know much about them. en-us Wed, 21 Sep 2005 16:21:01 EDT Wed, 21 Sep 2005 16:21:01 EDT Weblog Editor 2.0 Hurricanes are basically thunderstorms that are out of control, so to speak. Given the right conditions (such as warm ocean water to pass over in areas of high humidity) a basic thunderstorm can turn into a hurricane, and that can wreak havoc on the spot where it makes landfall, causing wind damage and flooding, which leads to other problems. If you've just moved to an area that is prone to hurricanes, you'll learn after surviving a few what hurricane preparations to take--and what can happen if you don't adequately prepare. The Hurricane Experience When you see news footage of hurricanes and the destruction they can leave behind, you realize it's bad. But it's not until you see firsthand the damage that hurricanes can cause that you really get a sense of what they can do. In the spring of 2005, experts in the field predicted that 2005 would be one of the most active hurricane seasons on record. So far, 2005 hurricanes have been numerous. While many of them have only been tropical storms, four of them have been hurricanes. Some have been small, but others have been dangerous. The worst hurricane in U.S. history made landfall. Her name was Katrina, and her aftermath will never be forgotten, particularly by people living in New Orleans and Mississippi. In New Orleans, the levies at Lake Pontchartrain were not able to sustain this Category 5 storm. Many people in the path of the storm did not heed the warning when hurricane evacuations were ordered. As a result, thousands perished in Katrina's wake. Although most boarded up their homes, they decided to ride the storm out at home. Many ended up being flooded out of their homes, waiting on their rooftops or in their attics to be rescued. All of their hurricane safety preparations were in vain, mainly because of the levies breaking. But had they evacuated, they might have lived. True, they may have lost their homes, but at least they'd have their lives. If you ever live in a hurricane zone, make sure you have adequate insurance--hurricane, flood and homeowner's--when you move. In addition, board up and head out if a hurricane is headed your way and hurricane evacuations are ordered. Wed, 21 Sep 2005 16:21:01 EDT http://www.hurricanesafetyzone.com/hurricane-safety/2005-hurricanes.html 2005 hurricanes have been numerous, as predicted, but none of the 2005 hurricanes so far has been as destructive as Hurricane Katrina. Is Hurricane Rita going to be as bad? en-us Fri, 21 Oct 2005 10:40:46 EDT Fri, 21 Oct 2005 10:40:46 EDT Weblog Editor 2.0