Photo: Hurricanes vs. Homes: Should Building on U.S. Coasts Be Stopped?

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Sunrise at Holly Beach, Louisiana, on January 26, 2006. The storm surge from Hurricane Rita last September destroyed this community of 500 homes on the Gulf Coast.

Critics of coastal development say construction should be limited, or stopped altogether, in hurricane-prone areas. Others suggest that development should continue if stronger building codes are put in place.

Photograph by Marvin Nauman/FEMA

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