Hurricane researchers use 'wall of wind'

MIAMI (AP/CNN/WSVN) — This week marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew's destruction on South Florida.

The Category 5 storm left at least 15 people dead and more than 150,000 people homeless. Its 165 mph winds caused more than $25 billion in damage.

Andrew flattened homes, uprooted trees and destroyed suburban blocks for miles around. Andrew was one of just three Category 5 storms to strike the U.S. in the past 160 years.

Tent cities cropped up and food lines, curfews and patrolling soldiers became the norm in Miami-Dade County.

Fast forward 20 years later and there's a big project under way at the Florida International University's International Hurricane Center. Their "wall of wind" can create Category 5 strength winds up to 157 miles per hour. Scientists hope these tests can help make structures stronger and can keep catastrophes like Hurricane Andrew's destruction of homes from happening again.