Waveheight is the vertical distance between crest and trough.
WAVEHEIGHT
Waves break when it reaches the shore. This is sometimes caused by rocks or reefs in the water before the water reaches the shore. The gravity of the moon also pushes and pulls the tides, which may also cause the breaking in the waves.
The hurricane itself could not have been prevented. The damage it caused could have been reduced if the levees had been better maintained. Deaths could have been reduced if the evacuation had been competently handled.