When a tragic event is expected to occur, it is often difficult to predict how people will respond. There are some who take things seriously and go out of their way to take precautionary measures and others who do not prepare at all. The aftermath of Hurricane Florence has demonstrated that a community is never fully equipped to be ravaged by naturally disastrous tragedies.

Florence was had initially been a Category 4 Hurricane, but by the time it made landfall in the Carolinas, it was renamed a Category 1 Hurricane. Sustained winds were at around 90 mph, electricity services were knocked out for more than 150,000 customers, and the most significant storm surge to hit the Carolina islands was between 7 to 11 feet. The states of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Georgia, as well as Washington D.C., had all declared a State of Emergency before the Hurricane hit. Residents of low-lying coastal areas in Virginia were required to evacuate their homes. More people have recently been ordered to flee their homes to shelters because rising sea levels threaten to bring more damage caused by flooding.

The Hurricane was forecasted to reach the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic states. However, the Carolinas have been the most affected, as they are still experiencing the troubles of the impact. First responders and emergency teams have attempted nearly 5,000 rescues in devastated areas. The death toll is 43 while there are 32 definitive deaths in North Carolina. Other deaths occurred earlier in South Carolina and Virginia. Additionally, many industries such as agriculture are taking big hits due to many of their livestock perishing in the storm.

The path to recovery is long and extensive. Many places suffer the prospect of foreclosure in the wake of damage. Many will be without shelter and have limited access to food indefinitely. Communities must work indefatigably to maximize relief efforts and attenuate the level of devastation brought to the region.

If you wish to donate to the Hurricane Florence Disaster Relief, please click on one of the links below.

https://www.habitat.org/donate/?link=971

https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurricane-florence-donations.html/

Featured Image: VOA News