Superstorms

Washington has a plan in place to deal with a natural disaster, but they may not be financially prepared for the rebuild and recovery, according to an official from Homeland Security. Hurricane season made its presence known Aug. 25, when Hurricane Harvey appeared in Texas as a Category 4 storm, forcing many to evacuate and even killing others. A few weeks later, hurricane Irma made an even bigger splash in Florida, measuring it as a Category 5.

On the heels of Hurricane Harvey, an Arkema chemical plant outside of Houston, Texas flooded, lost power, then exploded. Workers scrambled overnight to find a way to refrigerate their product, which is flammable at room temperature.

Hurricane Maria battered the small island nation of Dominica early Tuesday morning.  Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said in a Facebook post that the damage he has seen and heard is “mind-boggling” and “merciless.” His own home’s roof was swept away by the storm late last night.

When disaster strikes, the primary goal is providing safety for the most vulnerable. In southern Texas, highways, airports and schools were overwhelmed by flooding from Hurricane Harvey. People fled homes and apartments to seek shelter at sports arenas and churches resistant to the storm. Many students were also severely impacted by the storm.

The U.S. has experienced 70 major hurricanes in the past 20 years. Many experts believe global warming could be causing superstorms to occur more frequently, but study results are too premature to make that call. Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma occurred within weeks of each other and scientists are trying to figure out how these two major hurricanes occurred so close together. To discover new trends, experts say we must first look at the past.

Eighty dead, millions of trees, structures and phone lines leveled and Florida’s worst power outage in history — Hurricane Irma was one of the strongest storms recorded over the Atlantic Ocean, displacing thousands of communities in the Caribbean island belt and coastal Florida while also slamming hazardous sites in the region. In the path of Irma

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma devastated Texas, Florida and several Caribbean islands destroying property, flooding streets and leaving millions homeless. There are many different reports regarding how much damage was done from these natural disasters. However, most recent estimates show a combined total between $150-200 billion in damage done to Texas, Florida and the surrounding states.

When a hurricane hits, destruction of property and displacement are not the only concerns. There are also health issues to consider, ranging from short to long term.

The Federal Emergency Management Administration faces millions of dollars in budget cuts on several of its flood management programs next year, even as it fights to help the affected areas recover from hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Communities are just beginning to rebuild after two large storms hit the Southern U.S. in recent weeks. Recent hurricanes Harvey and Irma will likely cost between $150-$200 billion in damage, experts say. Harvey is the first major hurricane to hit landfall in the U.S. since Hurricane Wilma in 2005, according to the National Weather Service, a federal agency that tracks weather. It has displaced over 30,000 people in Texas, according to the Los Angeles Times.