Hurricane Andrew has proved to be the most costly natural disaster in US history. This book documents how Miami prepared, coped and responded to the hurricane which slammed into one of the largest and most ethnically diverse metropolitan areas of the United States. With estimated winds of 145mph, the area's infrastructure was laid to waste - nearly all public buildings were severely damaged or destroyed. Approximately 49,000 private homes were rendered uninhabitable, leaving more than 180,000 people homeless. Total losses were in excess of $28 billion. This book explores how social, economic...

How can we plan and design stronger communities? From New Orleans to Galveston to the Jersey Shore, communities struck by natural disasters struggle to recover long after the first responders have left. Globally, the average annual number of natural disasters has more than doubled since 1980. These catastrophes are increasing in number as well as in magnitude, causing greater damage as we experience rising sea levels and other effects of climate change.

Communities can reduce their vulnerability to disaster by becoming more resilient--to not only bounce back more readily from disasters...