By Sophie Gilbert ’19, News Editor

Bringing extreme flooding and damage, Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma hit the United States on August 17 and September 9, respectively. Hurricane Harvey affected Texas and Hurricane Irma arrived in Florida. Each lasting for about 10 days, they displaced communities and caused flooding and destruction. Hurricane Harvey left 30,000 residents of Texas displaced and caused 81 fatalities. Rainfall levels ranged from 40 to 52 inches, and wind speeds reached 130 miles per hour. While Hurricane Harvey caused extensive damage by remaining mainly in one location, depositing severe amounts of rainfall in that one spot, Hurricane Irma brought harm while traveling through various locations in the Atlantic. Beyond the US, Hurricane Irma significantly affected many islands off the coast, such as British Virgin Islands, Antigua, and Barbuda. When passing over Cuba, it weakened slightly, causing the damage in Florida to be less severe than anticipated. The hurricane caused 84 deaths in both Florida and the Caribbean.

One personal account comes from Victor and Kristy Lang, residents of Houston who experienced Harvey firsthand. Victor explained, “We saw water rising in the street and homes around us were flooding. It was a very anxious time.” While Victor and Kristy’s house did not flood during the rainfall, water being released from a nearby reservoir after the rain ended caused their house to flood. Victor described a particularly memorable moment: “My mother in law had to be evacuated…I was up to my knees in floodwater carrying her suitcase as she boarded a boat to leave my house. It was kind of surreal.” While they were lucky to all have remained safe and healthy, their experience reflects countless other tales of unexpected flooding and damage.

But what was significant about these hurricanes? Hurricane Harvey was a “500-year flood,” which means that it had a 1 in 500 chance of occurring in a given year, and Hurricane Irma was the most intense Atlantic hurricane since 2005. The fact that two rare hurricanes have occurred within days of each other has not gone unnoticed, heightening the growing political debate on climate change. It has been widely agreed upon by scientists that, although climate change did not cause Hurricane Harvey and Irma themselves, rising sea levels and ocean temperatures caused the extreme nature of the storms. While there has been growing political discourse surrounding the hurricanes and climate change, the weather and its political connections are impossible to ignore.

During the storms and days after their completions, many organizations have been working hard to aid hurricane relief.

During the hurricanes, many businesses transformed quickly into shelters, such as Gallery Furniture stores owned by Mattress Mack in Houston, as well as many Florida hotels. As Victor and Kristy explained, disastrous events could sometimes bring out the best in people. “Not just the first responders were coming out and rescuing people, but regular people were going house to house and helping people,” Victor described.

There are still many ways to get involved and help out. It is important to donate, not only to larger groups such as All Hands Volunteers but to local organizations, such as the Houston Food Bank or All Faiths Food Bank. Besides money, it is just as helpful to donate food and other supplies. There are also ways to help out within Newark Academy–the Community Service Council is holding a pet supply drive to donate to pets that have been rescued from Hurricane Harvey.  While we may feel far away from the destructive effects of Hurricane Harvey and Irma, it is important not to forget about the damage, and be sure to help out in any way possible.

*Note: Newark Academy’s school council, community service council, and Mi Casa raised over $700 on the first-ever Fundraising Friday following a presentation by Mi Casa about the effect of hurricanes on Puerto Rico.