Miami seen as highest disaster risk city
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- A group that measures natural disaster risk for U.S. cities ranks Miami with the greatest risk while Mesa, Ariz., and Milwaukee tied for the lowest.
SustainLane.com, based in San Francisco, annually measures disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes, and how they can affect the largest 50 U.S. cities.
Miami was ranked the riskiest because it rests on an exposed peninsula vulnerable to major hurricanes and storm surge flooding, the report said. The second riskiest city is New Orleans, followed by Oakland, San Francisco, Honolulu, San Jose (Calif.), Los Angeles, Houston and Long Beach (Calif.) with some of these cities tied in their risk category.
Among the least risky cities, Mesa and Milwaukee were followed by Cleveland, El Paso (Texas), Phoenix, Tucson, Colorado Springs (Colo.), Detroit, Fresno (Calif.), Minneapolis, and Philadelphia.
Chicago was ranked the 12th safest city, Dallas at 22, Washington, 27, and New York, 32.
"As Hurricane Katrina demonstrated, natural disasters can impact cities drastically when it comes to the economy, environment and public health," said SustainLane.com CEO James Elsen.
"We want readers to be aware of the risks they may face, as well as provide them with expert advise from emergency response organizations."
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- A group that measures natural disaster risk for U.S. cities ranks Miami with the greatest risk while Mesa, Ariz., and Milwaukee tied for the lowest.
SustainLane.com, based in San Francisco, annually measures disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes, and how they can affect the largest 50 U.S. cities.
Miami was ranked the riskiest because it rests on an exposed peninsula vulnerable to major hurricanes and storm surge flooding, the report said. The second riskiest city is New Orleans, followed by Oakland, San Francisco, Honolulu, San Jose (Calif.), Los Angeles, Houston and Long Beach (Calif.) with some of these cities tied in their risk category.
Among the least risky cities, Mesa and Milwaukee were followed by Cleveland, El Paso (Texas), Phoenix, Tucson, Colorado Springs (Colo.), Detroit, Fresno (Calif.), Minneapolis, and Philadelphia.
Chicago was ranked the 12th safest city, Dallas at 22, Washington, 27, and New York, 32.
"As Hurricane Katrina demonstrated, natural disasters can impact cities drastically when it comes to the economy, environment and public health," said SustainLane.com CEO James Elsen.
"We want readers to be aware of the risks they may face, as well as provide them with expert advise from emergency response organizations."
