Well certainly we want to convey the magnitude of net losses to the economy because while hurricanes impact negatively causing losses to sectors such as infrastructure, utilities, accommodation and distribution, other sectors such as construction, government services and professional services receive a boost in the aftermath or prior to impact.
Economic losses are definitely related to economic and spatial vulnerability.
But, a few things are absolute clear, and they are that the impact of a hurricane on an economy depends upon a number of factors including the orientation of the economy, the structure of the economy, the sophistication of the infrastructure, the natural environmental endowment of the country, the intensity of the hurricane, the duration of the hurricane, the path of the hurricane, the mitigating measures and probably most importantly the preparedness of the people. The point here is that the economic impact of a hurricane depends upon a series of interrelated factors pertaining disaster preparedness, economic structures, economic orientation and the attitude of the people. The structure and orientation of the economy are critical factors in the level damage and loss a country could expect. Le us look at the BVI for example. The international services in which we trade are absolutely dependent upon and have a high information and knowledge content.