Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones. In recent years, sustained population growth in conjunction with aggressive development of vulnerable coastal areas has lead to an increase in hurricane related deaths, injuries, and economic costs. In a hurricane (cyclones in the Indian Ocean and typhoons in the western Pacific Ocean), the greatest mortality originates from the secondary disasters that have been triggered such as small tornadoes, flash flooding, and storm surges. In coastal regions (within 30 miles of a salt-water coast), the level of a hurricane's storm surge is one of the strongest predictors of mortality. Historically, nine out of ten deaths form a hurricane can be directly accounted to the preceding storm surge. Individuals in the storm path consistently underestimate a hurricane's ability to cause coastal flooding and many are caught unprepared for the consequences. On the eastern seaboard of the United States, storm surges can increase the mean water level by as much as fifteen feet in the right front quadrant of the storm. (The right front quadrant is the area of landfall where the hurricane's movement combines with onshore winds to create the area of greatest storm surge). This effect can be exacerbated by superimposing wind waves upon the storm tidal height in combination with the possibility of a hurricane achieving land fall during high tide. Winds are the second deadliest aspect of a hurricane. The wind of a hurricane often causes property damage along with the collapse of houses and other wooden structures. Breaches in windows or doors of a structure due to flying objects or wind pressure are common precursors to major damage to a building. Once the stable envelope of a structure has been ruptured, wind is able to freely enter the structure where pressure builds until the walls collapse in an effort to allow the expanding mass of air to escape. Crush injuries, such as those seen in an earthquake, are common in severe storms or in areas with substandard construction practices. In a hurricane, many additional trauma incidents are caused by large objects which can become airborne in the severe winds. The most common non- fatal traumatic injury in a hurricane is superficial lacerations from flying glass and other debris. In many instances, however, addressing traumatic injuries after a hurricane is not considered a pressing public health concern when compared against the daunting necessity of providing potable water, nutritious food, and adequate shelter for all residents concerned.