Hurricane Andrew

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Geography case study on tropical storms
Hurricane Andrew
Effects on MEDC
Presented by Eugene Lui Ricky Leung Julian Tung
Hung-Ray Ho
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What is a Hurricane?

• Also called a cyclone, typhoon or willy-willy
• A particular severe tropical storm.
• Rotates an area of intense low pressure
• Produces very high winds and torrential rain.
• Rainfall is almost continuous throughout the
  storm but heaviest near centre
• Vary from 80 to 650 km in width and move
  generally westwards, often on an erratic and
  unpredictable course. At their centres are calm
  areas or eyes where the sky is clear and winds
  are light.

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General Facts of Hurricane Andrew

• Hit the Florida Coast South of Miami in homestead
  Florida on August 24th 1992 at 500 AM.
•  
• Crossed the state moving at 18 mph
•  
• Category 4 hurricane
• Lowered to a tropical depression after 12 hours.
•  
• Winds at landfall 165mph gusts to 180 mph
•  
• 10 mile wide eye
• 16.9ft storm surge.

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Location and track of tropical storm
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General Stats of Area

• TV per 1000 847
• Radio Receivers per 1000 2115
• Mobile/Telephone lines per 1000 850
• GDP of local area 37,800/capita
• 34 monitoring stations along the cost of Florida
• 3 geostationary satellites monitoring coastline
• Dedication of 5000 National Guards within State
  of Florida to respond for natural disasters

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Images of Hurricane Andrew
Last recorded radar image of hurricane
Infrared Image of Hurricane
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Social Impacts of Hurricane

• 30 Deaths, Hundreds Injured
• 25000 Homes Destroyed
• 100,000 Damages
• 175, 000 People Made Homeless
• 120,300 lost their jobs
• 1.3 million people lost connection to electricity.

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Economic Impact

• Total cost estimated at 65 billion US
• Insurance claims over 15 billion US
• 102 miles of power cable and 300 towers
  destroyed
• 300 square miles in total devastation
• 90 of small business lost ability to function
• 14 of population lost employment
• 8 of Annual Agriculture Harvest Lost

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Damages created by Hurricane Andrew
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Environmental Impact

• Hundreds of acres of forestry destroyed
• 25,000 gallons of oil leaked into the sea
• 7 million fishes suffocated
• National Park severely damaged
• Polluted animal habitats leading to death
  particularly alligators of the region

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Plans put in place to cope with the tropical storm

• Emergency funds to help the region recover after
  the event.
• Evacuation plan prepared with accommodation, food
  and medical care
• Well trained emergency services police, fire and
  ambulance crews
• Effective warning and information system through
  TV, radio and home visits
• Research organisations follow storm development
  and predict its track (National Hurricane
  Centre in Miami)
• Routes marked on roads to help people evacuate
• Help given after the storm in the form of
  financial aid to help rebuild area
• Buildings have been specially designed and
  reinforced

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Conclusion
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Why do people continue living in this area?

• As an MEDC area, people have jobs, established
  lives and business opportunities
• Therefore, people arent willing to leave such
  places due to their past establishments
• There is a low risk in the hurricane
• There are always insurance that people are
  willing and able to buy (and that its provided
  for)

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What is their ability to cope with such
disasters?

• Government provides a high budget for
  monitoring/aid
• Has the advanced technology researched and
  provided - machinery/material
• Economically suitable for the solutions to be put
  into effect.

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What is the impact on the countrys economic
development?

• IMPEDES the economic activity (destroyed
  roads/transport networks)
• End businesss, but others will take their place.
• The country isnt reliant on the area.
• There are services and precautions to ensure the
  re-building.
• Being an MEDC, they are already developed

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End - Thank You