Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in mid-to-late August 1992, the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida until Hurricane Irma surpassed it 25 years later. It was the strongest in decades and the costliest hurricane to make landfall anywhere in the United States until it was surpassed by Katrina in 2005. Andrew caused major damage in the Bahamas and Louisiana, but the greatest impact was felt in South Florida, where the storm made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane, with sustained wind speeds as high as 165 mph (270 km/h). Passing directly through the city of Homestead in Dade County (now known as Miami-Dade County), Andrew stripped many homes of all but their concrete foundations. In total, Andrew destroyed more than 63,500 houses, damaged more than 124,000 others, caused $27.3 billion in damage, and left 65 people dead.
Lakes by the Bay, Florida
In August 1992, Lakes by the Bay and the surrounding South Miami-Dade area were severely damaged by Hurricane Andrew. Most of the homes and businesses in the neighborhood were destroyed. In the subsequent years, the area was slowly rebuilt. Unlike the destroyed homes which were made of wood frame construction, the new homes and construction were rebuilt with concrete walls. Although many areas of Miami were heavily affected by Hurricane Andrew, Lakes by the Bay was one of the worst affected and remains a reminder of the hurricane's extensive disaster in the city today.