I barely escaped Hurricane Andrew in 1992. My hubby and I had been on a Caribbean cruise that was being chased by the hurricane. The engines were full throttle as the captain pulled into Miami to allow the passengers to disembark as quickly as possible. We went directly to the airport where we were told that all non-essential personnel had been sent home to evacuate their families. We sat in the gate area, watching with horror as the visibility decreased and the huge plate glass windows vibrated. A few hours later, the gate agent made an announcement that a skeleton crew had been found that would fly as many ticketed passengers as they could fit, and would worry about luggage later. Ours was the last flight the tower allowed to take off.
As we flew over the port, I saw that our boat had already headed back out to sea, where it is safer. Being docked in a category 5 hurricane would cause more damage to the port and boat than being on the edge of the storm on the open sea. Months later, the damage from this direct hit on Homestead and Miami was estimated at $27.3 billion (1994 USD). It was the most devastating Atlantic basin weather event until 2017.
High winds destroy structures and send debris flying dangerously. Initially, the water is dangerous only when it interacts with electricity or weakens tall trees. The water's danger comes later, as it stands still for an extended period of time, creating dangerous microscopic growth (the murky stuff from which life evolved) and the rapid disintegration of porous surfaces - practically everything humans build with, including cement, brick, and asphalt.
I suppose those who study such science have specific methods for measuring the value of damage. Do 150 mph winds destroy faster? Does the water destroy more thoroughly? No matter how I think about this, one thing is clear - nature is infinitely more powerful in its chaos than man is in his intelligence.