Hurricane Helene, now classified as one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, brought disaster to six southeastern states within just a few days. The destructive storm has already claimed several lives, but the death toll continues to rise. Citizens are being left in dire situations, trapped without access to clean water, food or power and damage estimates are currently staggering in the billions.
Helene began its path as a tropical storm in the Caribbean, where it then traveled towards Florida’s Gulf Coast, brewing a category four hurricane as it made landfall into the Big Bend. It carried violent winds higher than 130 miles per hour along with excessive rainfall across Florida, wrecking havoc for the citizens of various coastal communities. Helene brought a powerful storm surge and flood waters were as high as six feet, destroying homes and businesses and endangering the lives of countless people. First responders were left with no choice but to carry out rescues in the dark of night, making it even more challenging to perform efficiently. Before the gradual decline of this storm, it intensified as it traveled to Georgia. Cities such as Valdolsta experienced the worst of the eye as it dissolved back into a tropical storm. Despite its downgrade, the catastrophic behavior of Helene did not falter. The heavy rainfall prolonged up north, stretching to the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia. Inland mountain towns tucked within the Appalachians that are not equipped for such sizable natural disasters have been demolished; the scale of devastation was unprecedented.
Discussion about the severity of Hurricane Helene has recently been a prominent subject in social media and how it was a result of the rising temperatures of climate change. Historically, many of the towns that were hit by Helene would not be affected to this extent. Before the storm fully developed, meteorologists and climatologists were expecting it. With record-high temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, the warm, humid air built up the hurricane and caused it to gain an immense amount of strength. Climate anxiety is a growing issue, and is frequently found in the younger generation, who will be inheriting the consequences of climate change. According to NOAA Office for Coastal Management, The U.S. coastline is predicted to rise around 10 to 12 inches in the next 30 years, prompting an increase in annual hurricane costs by seven point five billion dollars.
Despite the tragedy, the nation has shown up for these communities, providing support and necessary resources. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, “More than 1,100 responders from 34 states are supporting response and recovery efforts through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). This includes public health nurses, emergency management teams supporting local governments, veterinarians, teams with search dogs and more.” Hurricanes like Helene are to be expected with the growing climate crisis, and it is important that the nation sticks together and help those who have and are currently being affected by such strong disasters. If you would like to offer support, organizations such as the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, Direct Relief, and various others are providing aid to the victims.
