Honolulu most overdue for major hurricane
An analysis by the Weather Channel revealed Hawaii's capital was the U.S. city most overdue for a major hurricane.
Residents of Honolulu have not recently had to file any hurricane-related homeowners insurance claims, but the report said the city is very easily susceptible to severe damage because the core of a major hurricane could directly strike Honolulu. Direct strikes hit other nearby Hawaiian islands in the past 20 years, but Honolulu itself has avoided a major hurricane.
Even so, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Hawaii State Civil Defense have taken steps to prepare an operations plan in the event that a Category 4 hurricane hit the tourist hub. Most Honolulu homes are not built to withstand hurricane winds, said the report, with many sitting on the edge of mountain slopes. High-rise hotels are also vulnerable to having some of their top floor windows blown out by hurricane winds, said the analysis.
San Diego was second on the list, while New York City, Savannah, Georgia and Tampa rounded out the top five.
Residents around the Atlantic coast are advised to ensure they have flood and wind protection on their homeowners insurance, as the Weather Channel predicts as many as four hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.
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