Laserfiche WebLink
High winds associated with hurricanes can be the source of <br />great destruction. The wind alone can lead to flying debris, <br />including tree limbs and branches, signs, roofing, and metal <br />siding, all of which move through the air like missiles. High <br />winds also can destroy poorly constructed buildings and mobile <br />homes. Once wind and rain has penetrated the secure <br />envelope of a structure (doors, windows, garage doors, and <br />roofs), the chances of the structure surviving the hurricane <br />greatly diminish. <br />Tornadoes and torrential rainfall add to the life threatening and <br />damaging effects of a hurricane. Six to 12 inches of rain or <br />more can fall on an area as the storm passes, causing flooding <br />and flash floods. Tornadoes produced by hurricanes occur <br />most frequently in rain bands well away from the center of the <br />hurricane. Damage from a tornado results from the high wind <br />velocity and wind-blown debris. <br />Crop damage is another powerful effect of hurricanes and <br />tropical storms. Hurricane Katrina made a brief visit to <br />southern Florida on August 25, 2005 before entering the Gulf <br />of Mexico and turning toward Louisiana. Portions of the states <br />of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi were affected <br />by hurricane force winds. The estimated crop, livestock and <br />fish losses in those states affected by Hurricane Katrina are <br />estimated to be $882 million (USDA, 2005). According to the <br />1997 Florida Statistical Abstract, of Indian River County's <br />311,112 total land acreage, 174,673 acres are farmland. With <br />54% of its land area being farmed, Indian River County is <br />particularly vulnerable to crop damage resulting from the wind <br />and rain from hurricanes and tropical storms. <br />Florida is the most vulnerable state in the nation to the impacts <br />of tropical storms. The topography of south central Florida <br />makes it particularly vulnerable to the effects of hurricanes and <br />tropical storms; this area is primarily a flat, low-lying plain. The <br />potential for property damage and human casualties is <br />increased by the rapid growth of the county, particularly in the <br />most vulnerable areas along the shoreline, combined with <br />complacency by hurricane infrequency. <br />Indian River County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Basic Page 9 <br />