The Impact of Structural Damage Due to Hurricanes and the Prospects for Disaster Reduction

There are many factors that can influence the seriousness of a disaster, ranging from the degree of preparedness and planning to the availability of relief and post-disaster assistance. In the case of tropical storms (hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones), however, a primary agency of the disaster is the failure and unservicability of buildings and structures. Amongst these are homes, refuges, hospitals, schools, industrial buildings, communication towers, and power lines. Apart from the personal injuries which the structural damage causes, it deprives people of shelter, disrupts essential post-disaster services such as hospitals and communications, cripples important contributors to the economy, such as the manufacturing, tourist and agricultural industries and impedes relief and recovery. The evidence suggests that most of this structural damage is preventable at little or no cost.