Imagine having to shelter in place in your house in the middle of a catastrophic event where a storm surge as high as over 7 feet threatens to knock your house off its foundation. For the people of Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia, there is no imagining this scenario. Certain parts of these states were faced with unimaginable horror in watching the events of a category 4 hurricane unfold along with its remnants wreak destruction and devastation not seen in recent years.
The Devastation
Houses were swept away by flooding water that viciously overflowed roads and destroyed bridges. Houses were ripped off their foundations and businesses washed away leaving many stranded where they stood. One survivor gave the horrific account of losing his fiance when she was swept away in a mudslide and hasn't been able to locate her. Indications of the monumental amount of devastation to these areas can be heard in story after story of people barely surviving or who lost loved ones. One story from North Carolina involved a mother who lost her child and her parents as they made it to the roof of their home only for it to collapse under the pressure of the water—scenes of destruction reminiscent of Katrina in New Orleans.
A week later, many of these areas are in need of critical and dire help and one cannot help understand why it is taking so long for help to come. At the height of the storm and its aftermath, almost a million people were without power. To date, there remains a significant amount of damage and repairs needed to restore and in many cases rebuild power sources.
Hurricane Helene had become the strongest hurricane on record to hit Florida's Big Ben area and the fourth Gulf Coast hurricane according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm brought over 7 feet of storm surge in areas such as Tampa, Florida. Also according to the National Hurricane Center, over 15 inches of rain fell in some areas of the storm’s path such as the Florida Panhandle. The death toll is steadily rising to over 200 lives lost and a number of people are still missing and unaccounted for.
While many areas did have evacuation orders, other communities in states past Florida were not as prepared. In addition to the monstrous winds of up to 120 mph that accompanied the hurricane, some areas saw up to several months or more worth of rain in just three days. This coupled with the mountainous terrain in areas such as Asheville, North Carolina led to increased severe and deadly results, including mudslides.
Some of these same areas in the South had already suffered from the prior year's storms.
Millions were plunged into darkness and many are still without power unable to anticipate when it will return. Images of people being evacuated by helicopter from a hospital roof or a weatherman having to rescue someone trapped in their cars paint an apocalyptic narrative. Many homeowners either cannot reach their dwellings, cannot leave or cannot get in touch with loved ones due to limited or no phone service. With each passing day the situation grows more dire with the loss of power and inaccessibility to deliver much-needed aid including food as well.
The Outcry
In a society that spends billions in sending aid to other places, it is unfathomable that we cannot organize recovery services here at home. As one weather channel network emphasized, if they were able to arrive there with crew on set, what is stopping the national guards and other recovery agencies from helping or getting to people who are running out of food, water, and fuel quicker? Ordinary people and other parts of the state have been arriving on the scene bringing in supplies and helping to transport supplies to desolate areas cut off due to their infrastructure being destroyed by the floods and wind damage.
Recent developments finally have Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia, and areas such as Asheville, North Carolina finally bringing in the National Guards and other formal assistance. Asheville is one community that although is not located near the coastline, was not immune to the deadly impacts of this hurricane. The community like many others still has no power, no wifi, or cell service. This makes it difficult to check or find loved ones in the area.
As a result of this storm, many communities were not prepared and have not seen this level of devastation or flooding. There is an increasing outcry to send aid as so many community members are not accountable for and many are desperate for aid. There is no indication in the hardest hit areas of how to start the clean-up. Some may argue that it was not just members of these communities who were not prepared but also our leadership.
It seems as though our leaders keep waiting for disaster to strike before taking action. Severe flooding took the lives of those in the tri-state areas of New York and New Jersey who lived in low-lying areas or in basement apartments during storms that came through in prior years. Recently this summer, Connecticut and Long Island suffered severe flooding as did many other locations around the country. These same areas are still prone to flooding due to inadequate catch basins in the urban city's sewer system. Additionally, many scientists who study climate patterns have expressed concern not only with the rapid pace of climate change but also with overbuilding, including in areas that are either sinking or otherwise becoming less ideal for housing.
After Hurricane Katrina, critics blamed New Orleans for establishing communities in a state below sea level, however, decades later and with climate change possibly irreversible, more and more areas may be considered not suitable for long-term living. One resounding question remains: is it irresponsible for our community leaders to allow coastal communities to continue to build in low-lying areas? Is it also responsible to allow unhoused individuals to live in unstable housing such as trailer homes or cars?
Over several months of rain fell in just three days in North Carolina areas, resulting in their infrastructure being broken apart like toys. Residents have described the scene as apocalyptic. Scenes of devastation and a lag in assistance with basic necessities have created dire situations that have the same impact across all economic and racial backgrounds. The only difference may be if someone has access to more wealth or housing alternatives, then they may have had a better chance to avoid the catastrophic events that unfolded so quickly.
The simple truth in this situation is that having access to wealth or privilege could have saved lives. However, that shouldn't be the deciding factor to demand more be done to better prepare everyone.
In cities across the state, there are unhoused individuals either by choice or not, or people living in unsafe locations due to natural elements. When the next high-powered storms hit, how will we all be protected? Hurricane Katrina was in 2005 and Hurricane Maria was in 2017, we must ask ourselves and most importantly our leaders, what did we learn and how can we save more lives the next time by being proactive instead of reactive?
To learn more about how to prepare for a severe weather event, contact your state Office of Emergency Management or your local elected leadership. Find out if you are in a flood zone and if you have an emergency shelter and most importantly have a plan in case you have to make the decision to leave your dwelling.
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