Hurricanes

Hurricane Wilma, a category 3 storm, made landfall on October 19, 2005 at Key West, Florida.  The 8-foot storm surge associated with the hurricane was the source of the most damage to the area.  

This map shows the extent of the flooding due to the storm surge. The highest point in Key West is just over 12 ft. above sea level. 

Key West is a highly populated, developed area.  This graph gives a breakdown of the types of land flooded in the storm surge. 

To restore basic services in the city of Key West, it is important to know where they are located in comparison to the flooded areas.  Clearing roads will give access to hospitals and airports.  Assuming the infrastructure closest to the areas that did not flood is less damaged than areas experiencing a higher water level helps in prioritizing areas to be restored first.