On Friday, September 23rd, Governor DeSantis declared a state of emergency for all Florida residents. Later that week, on September 28th, the notorious Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers, Florida. This category 4 storm resulted in massive floods, sweeping away cars, boats, and trees and destroying homes, bridges, and roads. This mass hurricane left hundreds devastated, and the people affected will not easily recover from its aftermath. After making its destructive pass through Florida, the storm continued on to South Carolina as a category 1 hurricane (Washington Post).

This storm caused over 100 deaths, most victims drowning in the floods that averaged around 5-10 feet deep. (Washington Post)

NASA states that Hurricane Ian originated in the warm ocean waters of the Gulf of Mexico. September is often referred to as “Hurricane Season.” Due to the temperature difference between the water, atmosphere, and moisture in the air that occurs in September, it is prime conditions for a hurricane to occur. Some people claim that this storm was a result of climate change.

Ramapo freshman Morgan DeLeo describes her feelings about the Hurricane: “I feel sympathetic towards all of the people who got affected in the south because many people’s homes got destroyed.”

She also adds, “All the states that got affected are all going through financial struggles. Many people lost family members that live in Florida and I feel bad for the people who are going through that.”

This hurricane will definitely be remembered by many, all across the country, even here at Ramapo. It is evident that the population is sympathetic towards individuals affected.

President Biden and Governor DeSantis have commented on this event, stating that they have many strategies on how to handle this situation.

President Biden states, “You know, today we have one job and only one job, and that’s to make sure the people of Florida get everything that they need to fully, thoroughly recover.”

More than 2.1 million people lost power due to the storm. Electricity was restored for 95% of the total outages and in the next week, they are hoping for 100% (flgov.com).

Meanwhile, at Ramapo, many people know of others who got affected by the Hurricane, such as Mr. Verdon. He states, “The scenes from Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian definitely stirred memories of the destruction that we saw in New Jersey after Sandy in 2012. I actually have some family members who were impacted by the storm and are still reeling. They have described driving through debris-lined streets and housing neighbors whose homes have been badly damaged. One can only hope that Florida (and other states most at risk for experiencing these dangerous storms) learn from Hurricane Ian and prepare for future weather events that are sure to come.”

To help those affected, you can donate and reach out to the vast number of online charities focused on Hurricane Ian victims. Please visit this link for potential charities: https://www.inquirer.com/philly-tips/hurricane-ian-how-to-help-20221001.html.

Hurricane season is not over, stay safe and keep those affected, in your thoughts.