Hurricanes

Hurricanes are one of natures most destructive forces.
Can you imagine the thoughts of people who live in regions where very destructive hurricanes have recently hit when they hear the words “the new hurricane season is about to begin,,?
The word hurricane comes from the West Indian word “huracan,, meaning big wind. The hurricane season starts in mid June, the most prevalent time for these strong winds is August and September. Hurricanes are huge tropical cyclones that begin over the oceans near the Equator. The Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea are favourite areas. Sometimes these hurricanes just circulate over the ocean, but it is when they approach land that they can be extremely destructive.
The winds in a hurricane can reach in excess of 150 miles per hour.
One of the big problems caused by a hurricane is to property along the coast. The very strong winds can raise the water level by two to five metres.
In 1900 in Galveston, Texas, a hurricane swept a five-metre wall of water from the Gulf of Mexico into the city. Over 6 000 people perished.
It is a fact that about 90% of deaths attributed to a hurricane are caused by drowning

Kate