over twice the stated amounts. No previous disaster
had cost the United States more in damage.
In south Dade County, over 82,000 businesses
were wiped out or damaged so severely that they had
to suspend operations for long periods after the
storm. Insurance adjusters could not keep up with
the flood of claims that resulted from the hurri-
cane, and considerable controversy developed over
whether the damage done to residences and busi-
nesses was the result of water damage and flooding
or wind damage. Many insurance policies did not
cover flooding, and it was difficult to prove whether
wind or water had caused the damage on which poli-
cyholders sought settlements. Nine major insurers
became insolvent following the storm.
In Dade County, 63,000 of the county’s 528,000
residences were completely destroyed, and another
110,000 were severely damaged. Nine of the county’s
public schools were completely destroyed and an-
other twenty-three were so heavily damaged that
they could not immediately resume operation. In an
area with many mobile home parks, only one per-
cent of the mobile homes survived the storm.
The hurricane wiped out much of the agricul-
tural production in the areas affected. The tourist
industry on which much of South Florida is depen-
dent was also greatly diminished. The storm’s eco-
logical damage was notable. Century-old coral reefs
off the Florida coast were wholly destroyed.
Impact Hurricane Andrew was a wake-up call for
residents of South Florida and coastal Louisiana, the
areas in the United States most affected by the hurri-
cane’s destruction. Serious deficiencies in construc-
tion were discovered as whole neighborhoods were
swept away in the wake of the storm.
As a result, many reputable builders drastically
improved their construction practices even before
they were called upon legally to bring about such
improvements. It was not until a decade after the
hurricane struck that Florida lawmakers enacted
legislation imposing stringent statewide building
codes upon builders. Also, considerable attention
was given to developing early warning systems and
establishing escape routes for those in the path of
impending storms.Further Reading
Emanuel, Kerry.Divine Wind: The Histor y of and Sci-
ence of Hurricanes. New York: Oxford University
Press, 2005. A fine, well-illustrated study of hurri-
canes, with special attention given to Hurricane
Andrew in chapter 31.
Lovelace, John K.Storm-Tide Elevations Produced by
Hurricane Andrew Along the Louisiana Coast, August
25-27, 1992.Baton Rouge, La.: U.S. Geological
Survey, 1994. An account of how Hurricane An-
drew continued to grow as it crossed South
Florida and struck the Louisiana coast, leaving
considerable devastation.
Mann, Philip H., ed.Lessons Learned from Hurricane
Andrew: A Conference Sponsored by Florida Interna-
tional University. Miami: Florida International
University Press, 1993. Valuable for the sugges-
tions its contributors make for coping with future
hurricanes.
Provenzo, Eugene F., Jr., and Asterie Baker Pro-
venzo.In the Eye of Hurricane Andrew. Gainesville:
University Press of Florida, 2002. A firsthand ac-
count of what it was like to live through Hurricane
Andrew, including information about survival
and rebuilding after the storm.
Sheets, Bob, and Jack Williams.Hurricane Watch:
Forecasting the Deadliest Storms on Earth. New York:
Penguin Books, 2001. Sound overall coverage
with valuable information about how to forecast
hurricanes.
R. Baird ShumanSee also Global warming debate; Natural disas-
ters; Oklahoma tornado outbreak; Perfect Storm,
the; Storm of the Century.The Nineties in America Hurricane Andrew 439