1 A hurricane is when the winds in a tropical depression rotate counterclockwise at more than seventy-four miles per hour.

2 People fear hurricanes because they can destroy lives and property.

3 Through storm surge, high winds, floods, and tornadoes is how hurricanes have killed thousands of people.

4 Storm surge is where the hurricane's winds whip up a tide that spills over seawalls and deluges coastal islands. 5 The winds themselves are also destructive, uprooting trees and smashing buildings.

6 By packing winds of 150 to 200 miles per hour is how a hurricane inflicts terrible damage even on inland towns.

7 However, the worst damage to inland areas occurs when tornadoes and floods strike.

8 Many scientists observe that hurricanes in recent years they have become more ferocious and destructive.

9 However, in the last half-century, with improved communication systems and weather satellites have made hurricanes less deadly.

10 The reason is because people have more time to escape.

11 The emphasis on evacuation is in fact the best way for people to avoid a hurricane's force. 12 Simply boarding up a house's windows will not protect a family from wind, water surges, and flying debris.