How can we not be affected by the devastation of hurricane Sandy?
I'm sorry this post is so late, it should've really gone out last week, but I just couldn't get it together. The week literally ran away with itself and I never caught up. I started to write this and never finished. The storm came and went leaving a trail of disaster in its wake. Needless to say that after watching the numerous news reports I felt so deeply for those people who were faced with such loss. I tried to imagine how I would cope if that had been my family? And although we live 30mins outside of Boston and well away from the coast, that flooding wouldn't be an issue, the way the world and the weather is changing, who knows what natural disaster may strike and leave us totally unprepared.
When I started to write my YA novel Children of Annwn :The Promise, one of the things I did was research the ways that the world may end. I read through the Exit Mundi theories. Its a collection of end of world hypothesis. Terrifying!!!
www.exitmundi.nl/
As we battened done our hatches last week I couldn't help but think over those possible end of world scenario's and ponder that for all our advances in modern technology, what can we really do when Mother Nature gets wild.
Watching the communities hardest hit by Sandy was like watching survivor man. Trying to get the means to survive seemed strikingly difficult. Do we need to learn how to survive these kind of events ? Are we going to see more and more of them? Should we be looking to teach our communities how to respond?
I know in my own family, my children are used to and take for granted, so much. What if one day everything that we took for granted was gone and we had to learn to start all over again. Would we be able to survive?
I'm not sure why, I felt so affected by Sandy but I did.
In 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans it was unbelievable as we saw 80 % of it flooded. Some areas were under a staggering 15 feet of water. There was utter chaos, with lootings, people being murdered. 1200 people lost their lives. Its estimated the damage that was caused reached 108 billion dollars
Last year Hurricane Irene hit the Caribbean and the East coast causing significant damage to the toll of 15 billion and there are estimates out there that suggest Hurricane Sandy could cost up to 50 Billion.
With the United States of America in an unbelievable and staggering
$16,214,358,823,745.36 Debt as of 8th November 2012.
www.davemanuel.com/us-national-debt-clock-php
On early Wednesday morning when Mr Barack Obama gave his victory speech I did hear him mention " We want our children to live in an America that isn't burdened by debt, that isn't weakened
by inequality, that isn't threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet"
I hope therefore that in his plan to move forward that he looks at how we combat the future of global warming and the challenges of a changing planet. How its all paid for I don't have an answer and I am concerned that the national debt it only going to rise for every man, woman and child.
However, I firmly believe that these natural disasters are of grave concern for our future and our children's future and so on. With one of the possible exit mundi theories it SUGGESTS that the volcano called "Cumbre Vieja" on the Island of La Palma off the African shore will not only erupt but that it will split and cause a huge chunk of the island to drop into the ocean. KERPLUNK!!!!
This drop in the ocean MAY unleash a Megatsuami of untold proportions that would forever change the landscape of the Eastern Coast of America. From the moment the island hits the ocean, America would have 8 hrs to evacuate and respond.
Waves twice the height of the Empire state building will obliterate New York!!! Waves will be travelling faster than a plane!!! These are only predictions!!!!!! But very scary nevertheless...
Are we prepared? Are we doing enough to safeguard our future?
Maybe, I felt affected by Sandy because I've never been faced with disaster, my life is comfortable. It made me think that one day I may have to learn to adapt, to survive.
In my community one very strong willed and courageous lady Erica Guagenti organised a collection of supplies to be sent directly to those in such dreadful need. Her husband's company Acquia footed the shipping bill. 784lbs and 19 moving boxes later the supplies are being sent. When Erica asked, I like many others were glad to be involved, to be able to actually do something to help. After this I have seen others came up with similar plans and I hear now that the school is to get involved in a fundraising effort for the victims of Sandy. Ah, the human spirit!!!! As long as there are people that are willing to help, we will endeavour, we will conquer and we will overcome.
We may not be able to stop the effects of Mother Nature, but we can as a group of people come together and help each other to survive. I believe in Mr Presidents words," That while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family, and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people."
