How To Survive A Hurricane, Or How To Keep Your Head Above Water

Hurricanes are very common.  They are also called cyclones or typhoons. Most of them stay over the ocean. When they come near land, they cause heavy rain and strong winds. Sometimes, a hurricane comes onto land. Then they usually cause more damage, because the wind and rain are stronger. Often there is heavy flooding. Buildings and trees are destroyed. Infrastructure like bridges and roads are damaged or washed away.

In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew started in the warm Atlantic ocean waters and grew until it was the strongest storm in 12 years. The storm had winds traveling at 205 km/h. Hurricanes are ranked on a scale of one to five depending on wind stream. Hurricane Matthew was expected to hit Florida as a Category Four storm.

What would you do if you were living on the Florida coast in October? If the Florida governor ordered you to evacuate, would you do it? You would need to have a hurricane plan. Since hurricanes develop over time, you would be able to begin making plans for protecting your family and property several days in advance. Some people stay in their homes even though they have been ordered to leave. Every year people are killed in hurricanes, because they refused to leave. If only they had listened to their governors and meteorologists!