0:00:02 > 0:00:03Today on Fierce Earth,
0:00:03 > 0:00:06we travel to the heart of the awesome hurricane.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13We're taking it all the way to 74mph!
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Face to face with their deadly winds...
0:00:17 > 0:00:19On the road, chasing the big storm...
0:00:21 > 0:00:24And we're in Texas to hear the incredible story
0:00:24 > 0:00:29of how a hurricane changed the lives of a group of 11-year-old friends.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32I could just see all the waves coming in. It was horrible.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37The Fierce Earth team investigate why these swirling storms erupt,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40what makes them a uniquely destructive force
0:00:40 > 0:00:42and how clever building designs
0:00:42 > 0:00:46are helping us survive the terrifying hurricane.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Let's roll!
0:00:48 > 0:00:52What happens when the ground shakes, the seas rise up
0:00:52 > 0:00:55and the air tears itself apart?
0:00:55 > 0:00:57The Fierce Earth team move in,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00taking on the most powerful forces on the planet.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19Get ready for Fierce Earth -
0:01:19 > 0:01:21the Earth, and how to survive it.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Hurricanes are one of the fiercest forces in nature.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32500 miles wide and winds travelling 150mph.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38In 2012, the world watched
0:01:38 > 0:01:41as Hurricane Sandy attacked the Caribbean
0:01:41 > 0:01:43before making its way up the American coast,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46striking the New York area with huge force.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56So, how are these monster storms created and where do they come from?
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Most hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean start near the equator
0:02:08 > 0:02:11when lots of thunderstorms form and group together.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Warm moist air from the sea surface keeps rising
0:02:15 > 0:02:17to feed the huge clouds.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21As the air rises, the storm starts spinning,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24a bit like the water draining from a bath.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28As more and more warm air is sucked into the centre of the storm,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30it moves faster and faster.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33When a hurricane makes it to land,
0:02:33 > 0:02:37destruction from the flooding and high winds can be catastrophic.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Few places on Earth feel the wrath of hurricanes like America.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49That's why I'm on the road
0:02:49 > 0:02:51in my home state of Florida
0:02:51 > 0:02:54to find out why it's so often in the line of fire.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Every year from June 1st to November 30th,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59North America and the Caribbean hold their breath,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03hoping the next monster hurricane to form out in the Atlantic
0:03:03 > 0:03:04does not make landfall.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Here in Florida we get extra scared
0:03:06 > 0:03:09because 40% of the hurricanes that make landfall
0:03:09 > 0:03:11make landfall right here.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16At the incredible moment when hurricanes move from sea to land,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19it's my aim to be right there waiting for them.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23That's because I'm a storm chaser.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Hurricane Irene has made her presence felt!
0:03:26 > 0:03:30For 14 years, I've spent every hurricane season on the road.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35I search for America's biggest storms, where I collect data
0:03:35 > 0:03:39and photograph all the extreme weather I can find.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41Here we are in Hurricane Ivan!
0:03:41 > 0:03:44While most people are heading one way...
0:03:44 > 0:03:46This is all the outbound traffic.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49'..I head right for the centre of the storm.'
0:03:49 > 0:03:51I'm, like, right there.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Driving through 100mph winds
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and navigating through debris in the roads and torrential rain.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Wow! Here comes the blast.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Taking me there is a souped-up truck full of special kit and gadgets.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13It's worth a cool 50,000
0:04:13 > 0:04:15and it's built with space age material.
0:04:17 > 0:04:18Oh, man, that's hot!
0:04:23 > 0:04:27These suckers are lined with Kevlar, which is basically bullet-proof.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31I don't need a puncture when driving into 100mph hurricane winds.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34This is getting really intense. You can't see anything.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Inside, I pack enough food and supplies for two weeks on the road.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41And my satellite link means I can stay online
0:04:41 > 0:04:43and never lose sight of the target.
0:04:44 > 0:04:45Let's roll!
0:04:54 > 0:04:58One of the fiercest storms I've ever witnessed was Hurricane Charley,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00which hit the Florida coastline in 2004.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07As a storm chaser, my job was to record the extreme weather.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13'Just as I arrived at the petrol station,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15'the storm was getting worse.'
0:05:17 > 0:05:18This is wild!
0:05:21 > 0:05:23'So I took shelter behind a concrete building.'
0:05:26 > 0:05:28GLASS BREAKS
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Window smashed right there.
0:05:31 > 0:05:32Just got hit by some debris.
0:05:36 > 0:05:37'It became clear
0:05:37 > 0:05:41'the petrol pumps were losing their battle against nature.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47'Then, just when I thought it couldn't get more extreme,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50'there was an unbelievable 150mph gust.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53'That's faster than any wind ever recorded in England.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57'Just look what it does to the garage.'
0:06:03 > 0:06:06'I don't mind admitting, I was terrified.'
0:06:14 > 0:06:15'Minutes later,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19'the eye, or the calm centre of the storm, passed directly overhead.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25'The wind dropped and I left the safety of the car.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27'It was a very eerie place to be.'
0:06:27 > 0:06:31Well, we're in the eye, right now, of Hurricane Charley.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34There's that gas station I rode it out at.
0:06:36 > 0:06:37Wow.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41That has to be the wildest thing I've ever went through in my life.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45'Hurricane Charley killed ten people in the United States.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49'Facts like this remind me every day how dangerous hurricanes can be,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52'something I never forget when I'm on the road.'
0:07:01 > 0:07:03This awareness for what hurricanes can do
0:07:03 > 0:07:07makes me fascinated about the science of how they happen
0:07:07 > 0:07:10and why they happen so much where I live, here in Florida.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Hey, Albert! How's it going, man?
0:07:14 > 0:07:18'To find out where hurricanes form, you need to travel out to sea.'
0:07:18 > 0:07:20Let's go.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23'The number one ingredient a hurricane needs to get started
0:07:23 > 0:07:25'is warm water.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29'Thanks to the sunny weather we enjoy here in Florida,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32'there's plenty of warm water in the Atlantic Ocean.'
0:07:35 > 0:07:38It's a beautiful day outside, 30 degrees Celsius.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41What's happening is the energy from the sun
0:07:41 > 0:07:44is not only heating me up, it's heating up the ocean.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46It's basically hurricane fuel.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50When the heat from the sun warms the sea water up
0:07:50 > 0:07:53to 27 degrees Celsius,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56there's enough energy to fuel the growth of huge storm clouds.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59When enough storm clouds gather together,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01we eventually get a hurricane.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Let's see just how warm the ocean is today.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07I've brought some state-of-the-art weather equipment here -
0:08:07 > 0:08:08a rubber ducky.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15All right, let's see what we have here.
0:08:15 > 0:08:1729 degrees Celsius.
0:08:17 > 0:08:18That's very warm.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22That means we still have enough heat in the ocean to create a hurricane.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Usually, wind direction near the equator moves east to west.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32As a result, the first countries where hurricanes often land
0:08:32 > 0:08:33are America and the Caribbean.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Watch the direction that Hurricane Katrina moves
0:08:38 > 0:08:39on this satellite image.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44If we look at where Florida is on the map, you can see why
0:08:44 > 0:08:46it's so often in the firing line.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51And why I'm kept so busy chasing storms.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57We now know where hurricanes come from and where they go,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59but how do they get spinning?
0:08:59 > 0:09:01To find out, Clare and Dougal
0:09:01 > 0:09:02are off to the fair.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08When you see a picture of a hurricane, it looks like a spiral.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10The reason why they look like this
0:09:10 > 0:09:14is because the rotating Earth puts a special force on winds and clouds.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20You may be thinking,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23"What does a day at the fair have to do with hurricanes?"
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Let's imagine this ride spins like the Earth.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32Clare and I are going to try and shoot straight at each other
0:09:32 > 0:09:35with these toy guns, but because the ride is spinning,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38it won't be quite easy as you might think.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40My goodness, it's going fast now!
0:09:40 > 0:09:43This must be what it feels like to be 30 miles an hour!
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Now, I can see Clare over there...
0:09:47 > 0:09:49You imagine, when I fire this gun,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52the water is travelling in a straight line,
0:09:52 > 0:09:56just like winds travelling across the Atlantic Ocean. Right, here goes.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Whoa! Look at that!
0:09:59 > 0:10:02'When I fire at Clare, it looks like the jet of water
0:10:02 > 0:10:06'is curving away because of the spinning force of the ride,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08'so it's almost impossible to hit her.'
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Oh, you missed! Just!
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- Come on, then. Give me your best shot.- OK, here we go.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16Ha! Missed me!
0:10:16 > 0:10:20It bends, and that's what happens with the rotation of the Earth.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24'Just like this ride is doing to the water in my toy gun,
0:10:24 > 0:10:26'the spinning Earth puts a force'
0:10:26 > 0:10:31into the big group of clouds over the Atlantic where hurricanes form.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33That force is called the Coriolis Effect
0:10:33 > 0:10:38and it causes the whole system to curve and swirl faster and faster
0:10:38 > 0:10:41until we eventually end up with a massive hurricane.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51We now know where hurricanes get their awesome power
0:10:51 > 0:10:53and what they are capable of doing to buildings,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55but what about people?
0:10:55 > 0:10:57It's time for Leo's challenge,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59where he sets out to discover
0:10:59 > 0:11:02the impact these giant storms can have on bystanders.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07I know all about life on the edge.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12I've climbed to the top of the world's highest mountain,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14frozen in the Antarctic,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17and parachuted off the planet's biggest cliffs.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28But one thing I've never encountered is the brutal force of a hurricane.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Here at this wind tunnel in Watford,
0:11:30 > 0:11:34it's possible to create one at the flick of a switch.
0:11:34 > 0:11:35It's my Fierce Earth challenge
0:11:35 > 0:11:39to try and stay on my feet whilst facing hurricane force winds.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Storm chaser Mike knows all about fierce winds
0:11:43 > 0:11:46and he's got some strong advice for me.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48You need to be extremely prepared
0:11:48 > 0:11:51and know what you're about to encounter.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53The winds are going to be ferocious.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55I've been in Hurricane Charley.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Charley had winds up to 150mph
0:11:58 > 0:12:01and it shredded palm trees, it shredded buildings.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Don't mess around with this. Hurricanes are scary.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09But this is just a lab.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Even though Mike's got me worried, just how windy can it get?
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Surely, it'll be like a trip to the British seaside.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Ah, beautiful day for a picnic here on the beach.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Pour myself a glass of orange juice.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Of course, no picnic is complete without...
0:12:27 > 0:12:29cocktail umbrella. Very nice.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32I don't think I picked the best place to set up my picnic -
0:12:32 > 0:12:34right in front of the wind tunnel.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Paul from the lab has his hands on the controls
0:12:39 > 0:12:43'and first, he's going to subject me to windy seaside conditions.'
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Typical English day at the seaside.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47'About 30mph winds.'
0:12:47 > 0:12:48Uh-oh!
0:13:01 > 0:13:03'So, my cosy picnic is history'
0:13:03 > 0:13:05but that was just a 30mph wind,
0:13:05 > 0:13:07nothing more than a windy day at the beach.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12'Now, it gets even more interesting.'
0:13:13 > 0:13:16We're going to steadily increase the wind speed
0:13:16 > 0:13:18whilst I tackle a variety of tasks
0:13:18 > 0:13:22until eventually we get all the way up to hurricane strength.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Now we're moving up to gale force winds, 40mph,
0:13:25 > 0:13:27but I'm starving, so...
0:13:27 > 0:13:31'First challenge is to eat a sandwich. Surely no problem?'
0:13:31 > 0:13:33It's not easy.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41'The shades stay put
0:13:41 > 0:13:44'but the 40mph winds snatch my sandwich like a seagull.'
0:13:46 > 0:13:49We're going up to 50mph now.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51'Maybe I'll have more joy as a waiter.'
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Got to look one's best for this kind of job.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57'Working in the world's windiest restaurant.'
0:14:00 > 0:14:02'There's one unhappy customer.'
0:14:02 > 0:14:03Sorry about that, sir.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07'Four more orange juices for table six!'
0:14:15 > 0:14:1750mph winds might knock over some trees
0:14:17 > 0:14:19or blow a umbrella inside out...
0:14:21 > 0:14:25'..but it's certainly nothing to worry a hurricane chaser.'
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Now it's the big moment.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31It's hurricane time.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38It's getting dangerous, so I need to be clipped in
0:14:38 > 0:14:40in case I get blown away.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42OK, ready.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47We're going up to hurricane force F1 - 74mph.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Steadily we build to hurricane speed.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56That's strong! You wouldn't really want to be outside in this!
0:14:56 > 0:14:58'Walking into strong winds,
0:14:58 > 0:15:02'the best chance you have to stay upright is to lean into the wind
0:15:02 > 0:15:05'and keep your centre of gravity as low as possible.'
0:15:05 > 0:15:08It feels like a skydive when you jump out of the plane!
0:15:08 > 0:15:12We're taking it all the way to 74mph,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Category 1 hurricane!
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Oh, that's windy!
0:15:17 > 0:15:20'Incredible. I'm now facing hurricane strength winds.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23'If I was a house, my roof tiles would be blowing off.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25'The only way I'm staying on my feet
0:15:25 > 0:15:28'is to use my experience from hundreds of skydives.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36'Then, as the speed touches 75mph, I lose my footing.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39'I've hit my limit, and Paul shuts down the machine.'
0:15:44 > 0:15:46What's really scary
0:15:46 > 0:15:50is that the world's most devastating Category 5 hurricanes, like Katrina,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53can have gusts twice as fast as I've just felt,
0:15:53 > 0:15:58winds of over 150mph that devastate everything in its path.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00'My challenge was to stay on my feet
0:16:00 > 0:16:02'in Category 1 strength hurricane winds.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06'That's 74mph - fast enough'
0:16:06 > 0:16:08to damage trees and property.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13'Thanks to my skydiving training, I managed it...just.'
0:16:15 > 0:16:18I've experienced some pretty strong winds up in the mountains
0:16:18 > 0:16:20but this is something else completely.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24Imagine that in torrential rain and debris blowing all around.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27A hurricane is one place I never hope to find myself.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32- CLARE:- Unfortunately, millions of people throughout the world
0:16:32 > 0:16:34face the terrible threat of hurricanes.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38The most severe have names that will go down in history.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41You may have wondered where these names come from. Well,
0:16:41 > 0:16:45they are created by the National Hurricane Centre in America.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Every year, an A to Z list
0:16:49 > 0:16:52of alternating boys' and girls' names is issued.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56So, in 2013, the first storm will be called Andrea,
0:16:56 > 0:16:58followed by Barry, then Chantel, and so on.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04The hurricanes that have led to the greatest financial losses
0:17:04 > 0:17:06have all hit the American coast.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10The top three are...
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Third - Hurricane Ike, which struck the Caribbean
0:17:13 > 0:17:15and southern USA coastline in 2008.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Second - Sandy,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22which you may remember hit the New York area in 2012.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27And the most destructive hurricane of all time
0:17:27 > 0:17:29was Hurricane Katrina in 2005,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33which destroyed large areas of Louisiana in America's Deep South.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41When a hurricane hits,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44it's not just the financial cost that's high.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49The impact they have on people's lives can be even longer lasting,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52as experienced by three schoolgirls from Texas.
0:17:54 > 0:17:55Hi, my name's Caitlyn.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57- I'm Lacie.- I'm Allison.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00ALL: And this is Crenshaw School in Texas!
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Allison, Lacie and Caitlyn have been friends since they were little.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08They share classes, have lunch together and play out,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11just like school kids all around the world.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Is that the best y'all can do?
0:18:17 > 0:18:19But it wasn't always like this.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26In September 2008,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28when they were eight years old,
0:18:28 > 0:18:30their lives changed forever when
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Hurricane Ike devastated their town.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42The girls all used to live near each other
0:18:42 > 0:18:44in the coastal town of Crystal Beach.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Right before Ike,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53we were all together and we were really close.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55We were always spending time with each other.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00On the weekends we would always go to each other's...
0:19:00 > 0:19:02we would always go to Caitlyn's house
0:19:02 > 0:19:05and just fool around like little kids would do.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13The friends were just coming to the end of a great summer together
0:19:13 > 0:19:17when they heard the news they dreaded -
0:19:17 > 0:19:19a hurricane was coming.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Like many Americans living on the coast,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25they have to keep an eye on the weather.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29If a hurricane is forecast, everyone is told to evacuate.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35The three families packed quickly and got out of harm's way.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Aged just eight, it was difficult to understand what was going on.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42I never really figured it out,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44I was just like, "Ooh, yay! Road trip!"
0:19:45 > 0:19:48I didn't get it. I was still innocent.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Like hundreds of other families,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52the three headed to temporary homes inland
0:19:52 > 0:19:54and waited for the storm to pass.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03When Ike finally arrived on September 13th,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05the impact to the coast was terrible.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11It badly damaged everything in its path -
0:20:11 > 0:20:14homes and schools destroyed.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16The girls were safely away from the coast,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20but it was still a terrifying experience.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23I, like, stared out the window most of the time
0:20:23 > 0:20:25and I could just see all the waves coming in
0:20:25 > 0:20:28and it was dark and windy and...
0:20:28 > 0:20:29It was horrible.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Those who chose not to evacuate when they had the chance
0:20:36 > 0:20:38were cut off by the rising water.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45At least 20 people were killed in this part of Texas alone.
0:20:48 > 0:20:49The girls' homes were ruined,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52so they were forced to live with the other families
0:20:52 > 0:20:55who'd also been made homeless by the hurricane.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00We had to live in a house with nine people. It was not fun.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03They couldn't return to Crystal Beach for months
0:21:03 > 0:21:05because of the devastation.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09When they did, what they saw was terrible.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12I was in shock. Couldn't believe it.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Both of my grandparents' house and my house was washed away.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Can you imagine what it would be like to come back home
0:21:28 > 0:21:30to see your house destroyed
0:21:30 > 0:21:33and all your belongings and memories scattered everywhere?
0:21:34 > 0:21:36The only thing I found of mine
0:21:36 > 0:21:38was an old trophy from first grade.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44My mom, she started crying cos she saw that our house was gone
0:21:46 > 0:21:49I was like, "Wow."
0:21:50 > 0:21:52I was speechless.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58Because Hurricane Ike forced them to move, Caitlyn, Allison and Lacie
0:21:58 > 0:22:01now live almost an hour apart from each other.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03- That was crazy.- Right there.- Yeah.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07One place is bringing hope for the future.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13Their school was one of the few buildings to survive the storm
0:22:13 > 0:22:17because of its hurricane-proof design, built on concrete stilts.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Having fun there together is helping the girls come to terms
0:22:22 > 0:22:23with what they've been through.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27If anything at all, it just makes you stronger.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Yes!
0:22:29 > 0:22:31LAUGHTER
0:22:31 > 0:22:34It brings me a little bit closer to them with feelings
0:22:34 > 0:22:37because we all kind of know what we've been through.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42In all, Hurricane Ike claimed 195 lives
0:22:42 > 0:22:45across the Caribbean and southern USA.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49Ike's destruction highlights the need for hurricane-proof buildings
0:22:49 > 0:22:51just like the girls' school.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53As Zoe now finds out on the British coast,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56modern buildings are taking inspiration
0:22:56 > 0:23:00from a storm-proof design that's been keeping us safe for centuries.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Sometimes, the tail end of hurricanes
0:23:05 > 0:23:10make it all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to the United Kingdom.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13The last time was in September 2011,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15when the remains of Hurricane Katia
0:23:15 > 0:23:20crashed into Scotland and northern England with winds of over 80mph.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23TRAIN HORN BLARES
0:23:30 > 0:23:32When a storm like Katia strikes,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36it's those who live by the coast who are the first in line.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Start Point lighthouse in Devon has remained standing
0:23:40 > 0:23:43in the face of storms since 1836.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48It's managed this thanks to its clever, curved design.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50SHE KNOCKS
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Good morning. Come on in.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56'Gordon Partridge used to work here'
0:23:56 > 0:23:59and at lighthouses all over Britain.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Even getting to work was dangerous sometimes.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Here, the only way to reach the lighthouse door
0:24:05 > 0:24:09was for Gordon to cross a wire from a boat, avoiding lethal rocks.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I don't think even Leo would attempt that!
0:24:14 > 0:24:17- You must have done this many times. - Many times.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20This is amazing, Gordon. I can see why you like this job.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- Wonderful, isn't it?- Beautiful.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Top of the shop.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Just put my jacket on, and out we go.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29'He's keen to show me what a storm feels like,
0:24:29 > 0:24:31'so we head straight outside.'
0:24:31 > 0:24:33So what are the conditions we can see out there now?
0:24:33 > 0:24:36At the moment, a wind speed of probably about 35,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38gusting, 40mph.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41- Wow, I can feel it, it's pretty intense.- It is.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44So what's your experience when you catch the tail end of a hurricane
0:24:44 > 0:24:48- in all the lighthouses you've worked with?- The tower shakes.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50- Really?- They are designed to shake.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Crockery rattles and bangs
0:24:52 > 0:24:56and you are in it. There's nothing you can do anymore
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- except wait for it to pass.- It must be terrifying, and this is your job!
0:25:00 > 0:25:03A lighthouse was built to withstand it. My house at...
0:25:03 > 0:25:05My home address wasn't.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07'Lighthouses like Start Point'
0:25:07 > 0:25:10can stand firm in storms because their narrow, curved shape
0:25:10 > 0:25:14means that waves and gusts of wind that hit them
0:25:14 > 0:25:16are deflected around their edges,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18like this amazing picture shows.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23A normal building with straight walls is under far greater stress
0:25:23 > 0:25:25during weather like this
0:25:25 > 0:25:27and they often pay the price.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Remember how tough Leo found it facing wind head-on earlier?
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Eventually, the force of the wind blew him backwards.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44In the hurricane-hit areas of America, more and more buildings
0:25:44 > 0:25:48are now built to cope with extreme forces of wind and water,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51like these houses sitting above flood water on their stilts.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58This strange-looking dome house in Florida may be a view of the future.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01It has a similar curved design to a lighthouse,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04which deflects the wind and water around and underneath it.
0:26:07 > 0:26:15In 2004, when Hurricane Ivan smashed into this area with winds of 125mph,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18most houses were left as piles of rubble
0:26:18 > 0:26:21but the dome house came through almost unscathed.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27Like Start Point lighthouse, its clever, curved design will mean
0:26:27 > 0:26:31it'll hopefully stand firm against any future hurricanes.
0:26:34 > 0:26:39- MIKE:- Our journey through the scary world of a hurricane is over
0:26:39 > 0:26:43and we've learned they can be unpredictable and terrifying.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47If the worst happens and you're caught in a hurricane,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50there are ways to maximise your chances of survival.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52here's our Fierce Earth guide.
0:26:52 > 0:26:53Watch the forecasts
0:26:53 > 0:26:57and if a hurricane is coming, leave town immediately.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01If you do have to walk in the winds, keep low to the ground
0:27:01 > 0:27:03and get to shelter as soon as possible.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07The flood waters kill more people than the winds,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09so stay inland until it's safe to return.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13This is how you maximise your chances
0:27:13 > 0:27:15of surviving the Fierce Earth.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19ZOE: Coming up next time on Fierce Earth,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22we explore dangerous and deadly wildfires.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd