As hurricanes move over land, strong winds and heavy rains pound the area for many hours. Buildings can come crashing down. Tree branches, telephone poles, and even whole roofs can fly through the air like bullets.
In just a few hours,
neighborhoods that were once neat and beautiful...
can be completely destroyed. 
The violent winds of Hurricane Andrew caused enormous damage to South Florida. The Benitez family decided to stay on their farm during the storm. Before the hurricane, Mike and Patricia Benitez, and their four children stocked up on canned goods and bottled water. They bought metal panels to protect their windows. The family felt that they were prepared for the storm.
Hurricane Andrew struck the Benitez farm with winds close to150 MPH. It destroyed their house and barn. During the storm, when parts of their house no longer seemed safe, the family piled into a small closet. There they huddled together, listening to the hurricane winds whip around them, tearing apart everything they owned. When the storm finally passed, their home lay in ruins. However, they were safe.
Today the family
lives in a new home that took two years to build. They were lucky.
The family remembers what it was like during the terrible storm.
It's something they don't want to experience again.
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