A hurricane may be classified as category one if they have their usual speeds of up to 74mph. Going up to category five they may carry extreme speed and power, with much more destructive ability.

Hurricane winds are measured using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale. This scale was first developed in the late 1960s and was further developed in the early 1970s. It uses measurements in pressure, wind speed, storm surge, and damage potential to put hurricanes into 5 categories. 

Below is a guide to hurricane categories and the damage they can cause.

Sometimes even tropical storms can cause a lot of deaths than category 3 and 4 hurricanes. At other times, category 3 hurricanes can cause more damage than category 5 hurricanes.

It all depends on the area that they make the landfall. If the coastal area is heavily populated and a lot of people use the beach for residential and business purposes, there is a high chance that the death toll will be high if a hurricane visits. In many cases, the landfall is far from where people live, and that makes the impact less destructive, even though it can affect wildlife, vegetation, and other biotic and abiotic factors.