Hurricanes cause damage in the following ways:
Rainfall-induced flooding
Heavy rainfall is responsible not only for major flooding in the areas where the storm initially strikes, but can also affect areas hundreds of miles inland. During landfall, rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches are common.
High winds
Hurricane winds range from 74 miles per hour to over 155 miles per hour. Wind is responsible for most structural damage caused by a hurricane.
Storm surge
Storm surge is a rapid rise in water level that moves onto land as the eye of the storm makes landfall. Storm surge is the most dangerous and destructive aspect of a hurricane. The surge is higher if the hurricane’s track is perpendicular to the coast, which allows a higher surge to build. The greatest surge occurs to the right of where the eye makes landfall.