[ethbr1]

> The only kind of structure able to survive a dead-on hit...

That isn't the goal, because the eyewall of a Cat 5 is minuscule in footprint compared to the surrounding wind bands.

Consequently, most houses are going to have to deal with those winds, for which timber bolted to slab + properly secured to roof is perfectly valid.

It's uneconomical to hurricane-proof all housing in Florida.

It's entirely possible (and has largely been done) to mitigate the bulk of hurricane wind impact (the lesser standard) for all housing in Florida.

[mschuster91]

> It's uneconomical to hurricane-proof all housing in Florida.

Given the yearly news about record breaking destruction... I'd say it is uneconomical to build in Florida at all. The only thing keeping some regions (in addition to FL and other hurricane hotspots, add California for fires and potentially earthquakes) afloat is politicians bribing populations by promising government bailouts or by forcing insurance companies to offer coverage by law even if it is extremely expensive.

The amount of waste and human suffering generated because of these perverse incentives is staggering.

[manwe150]

The news tends to exaggerate a bit (quite a bit) for effect. Where the storm hits is devastating, but a mile away can be basically fine. So percentage wise very little of Florida gets destroyed, but of the part that gets flattened, it may be entirely destroyed. Same thing can happen periodically near virtually any body of water or stream. But hurricanes are something that can be observed and predicted in advance instead of being out of nowhere like flooding

[mschuster91]

> But hurricanes are something that can be observed and predicted in advance instead of being out of nowhere like flooding

Yeah in advance enough to prevent loss of human life, but still, if you're hit, everything you own is gone. There just is not enough time to pack up more than maybe your laptops, phones, a bag of clothes and your most important paperwork.