When hurricanes hit the lab

Accidents and emergencies can disrupt the best-laid plans of any lab. A power cut can interrupt experiments; a leaking pipe can create hazardous pools of standing water. But scientists working in the western Atlantic’s Hurricane Alley have to cope with the impact and aftermath of some of the world’s most destructive storms.

The official Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June to November, but planning for a storm is a year-round task, starting from the moment a new lab building is designed. Buildings in at-risk regions on the US Gulf Coast and the east coast of Central America are reinforced to withstand hurricane-force winds. And the severe flooding that accompanies these events means that backup generators need to be installed – preferably high up, perhaps even on the roof.