FIG H1: Hurricane Juan approaching Nova Scotia in September 2003. Copyright Environment Canada.   "What horror and destruction - it's impossible for me to describe - or you to form any idea of it. It seemed as if a total dissolution of nature was taking place. The roaring of the sea and wind - fiery meteors flying about in the air - the prodigious glare of almost perpetual lightning - the crash of falling houses - and the ear-piercing shrieks of the distressed were sufficient to strike astonishment into Angels." Alexander Hamilton, describing, in a letter written to his father, a 1772 hurricane which hit the island of St. Croix.     Eastern Canada is no stranger to hurricanes. On 25 August 1873 a hurricane hit Cape Breton Island, killing 500 people and destroying over 1,200 ships and 900 buildings. In 1891 three hurricanes (two Category One and one Category Two) hit Nova Scotia in just two months time. Imagine the problems associated with these storms - there was no modern forecasting equipment to prepare residents.   Hurricanes are among the deadliest natural forces known to man. Hurricane Andrew, which hit the southeastern United States in August 1992, caused 23 deaths and $26.5 billion dollars worth of damage in the US alone. What causes massive storms such as Andrew to occur? What causes some hurricanes to take a turn and head to Eastern Canada? How can we mitigate the effects of hurricanes? Click on the links to begin your exploration of hurricanes.