Disaster mitigation and recovery: a study of Hurricane Hugo’s effect on South Carolina

Death, destruction, and loss are what many people experience when they encounter a disaster such as a hurricane. One key fact to remember about disasters is that they are a human made event. This is because disasters only occur when a natural hazard comes into contact with human made items. One such natural hazard, hurricanes, can result in significant destruction and have a major impact on humankind.

While humankind is effected by natural hazards, it can also have an effect on the results from these hazards. Using proper techniques, damage from disasters can be reduced by significant portions. This can be accomplished through mitigation, resilience and recovery. The combination of these three components can both reduce and eliminate destruction from disasters caused by natural hazards.

This paper will look at each of these three components and how they apply to disasters caused by hurricanes. The focus will be looking at how differing building requirements can have an effect on the amount of damage caused by hurricanes. These results will then be used to recommend what types of building codes should be used and the political viability of using such codes.