Jordyn Balam, Editor-in-Chief 103 deaths, 2.5 million evacuation orders, 3.4 million U.S. power outages, and 6,000 canceled flights– the effects of Hurricane Ian are some of the most devastating in United States history. Although Virginia did not face major damage, coastal cities in Florida are still recuperating from the effects of powerful winds and storm surges. The Category 4 storm made landfall three separate times in late September. It flooded counties and devastated infrastructure in Cuba, Florida, and South Carolina. The economic damage could amount to $75 billion, according to a study from Enki Research (Zahn). In comparison, this estimate is half of Hurricane Katrina’s cost, which was around $161 billion, but it is much greater than Hurricane Iota’s $1.4 billion damages. President Joe Biden has facilitated federal aid to Florida and Cuba, but complete recovery will be a long process. Reflecting back on the hurricane, many Florida residents with lost loved ones or wrecked homes wonder why warnings didn’t come earlier. In Lee County especially, officials issued evacuation orders only one day before the storm hit. There wasn’t much time for officials to translate the orders into other languages. Therefore, some people were still deciding whether or not to leave their homes when 150 mph winds arrived on September 28. At least 54 people died in Lee County, making it the area with the most fatalities, mainly due to drowning, for the storm surge reached up to seven feet (Olivio). During the hurricane’s second landfall in South Carolina, the surge near Myrtle Beach approached five feet, the third-highest in history. Photo from NBC News; The destruction resulting from Hurricane Ian is unprecedented, with the most damage occurring in Lee County, Florida, as shown in the above photography. In regard to the health effects of Hurricane Ian, scientists recently observed a rise in infections from a bacteria called “Vibrio vulnificus” that feeds on soft tissue (Hassan). The bacteria is prominent in flood waters and standing waters brought on by the storm. Sewage spills also house these microbes. Vibrios cause about 100 annual deaths in the United States, so it’s best to avoid still waters if one has an open wound. Analysts assure Americans that Hurricane Ian will not have a notable effect on the gas and food industries, since Florida does not play a major role in either sector. However, the state produces most of the nation’s citrus fruits, so people can expect a decline in those products. Although some oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico suspended their operations for safety reasons, they are now up and running. Photo from Al Jazeera; After the hurricane subsided, hundreds of Floridians remained safe in shelters, thanks to efforts from federal agencies and other organizations. Florida has faced destructive hurricanes in the past, including Hurricane Charley with winds also up to 150 mph in 2004. Hurricane Ian is the sixth major hurricane to affect the United States in the past ten years; the preceding one was Hurricane Ida, which wreaked havoc on the Caribbean Islands .However, the damage caused by Ian is astounding, second only to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Floodwaters and rainfall submerged buildings up to their ceilings, leaving many Floridians homeless. If you would like to help the victims of Hurricane Ian, you can visit the Red Cross’s website, or the Florida Disaster Fund to contribute financially. Finally, the country’s hurricane season lasts for about two more months, so continue to stay vigilant and watch for potential storms. Works Cited Hassan, Camra. “Dangerous flesh-eating bacterial infections increased in Florida after Hurricane Ian.” CNN Health, 18 October 2022.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/18/health/rare-bacteria-hurricane-ian-floodwaters/index.html. Accessed 18 October 2022. Livingston, Ian. “What Made Hurricane Ian So Intense: By the Numbers.” The Washington Post, 4 October 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/10/04/hurricane-ian-statistics-deaths-winds-surge/. Accessed 18 October 2022. Olivio, Antonia, et al. “Hour-by-hour analysis shows toll of county’s delay before Hurricane Ian.” The Washington Post, 14 October 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/10/14/lee-county-hurricane-ian-evacuation-timeline/. Accessed 18 October 2022. Zahn, Max. “What Hurricane Ian Means For Food and Gas Prices.” ABC News, 28 September 2022, https://abcnews.go.com/Business/hurricane-ian-means-food-gas-prices/story?id=90630806. Accessed 18 October 2022.
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