Hurricane Iniki Research Paper

Here at the University of Florida, the field of wind engineering is a subject to which a lot of research and manpower is dedicated, particularly concerning hurricanes and the large wind loads associated with them. These powerful storms are generally associated with the eastern and gulf coasts of North America, but they can and do form elsewhere. Hawaii, surrounded by the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, is not typically associated with hurricane activity, but in September of 1992 the island state was struck by Hurricane Iniki. Within a lifespan of a little more than a week, Iniki was able to completely change the relationship Hawaii had with Hurricanes by battering the islands with strong winds and exposing the complacency fostered by years of mild hurricane seasons. In the years to come, this storm was to serve as the basis for Hawaii’s push to better prepare for potential storms and avoid another disaster of this magnitude. Before hurricane Iniki, only 4 hurricanes are recorded to have impacted the state since the first recorded storm, Hurricane Hiki, reached hurricane strength in the waters north of the islands in 1950. This was followed by Hurricane Nina in 1957 and Hurricane Dot in 1959. The last storm, Hurricane Iwa, made landfall in 1982, causing 200 million dollars in damages, which, while formidable, is minor in comparison to the impact Iniki would have. Iniki, which

Despite proper handling of restoring power, the aid to Hawaiian citizens following Iniki was notably slow, with some families still waiting on assistance 6 months later. The insurance companies, already overwhelmed by claims from the southeast after a devastating Hurricane Andrew just weeks earlier, were unprepared to handle the increased demand, and many companies chose to stop operations and leave the Islands in the following year. In response the Hurricane Relief Fund was enacted in 1993, but after 7 years with no major tropical activity impacting Hawaii, the fund was stopped in