Amy Tao and Marina Skubin
Hurricane Michael has ripped through Florida, Georgia, and the Virginias, making it one of the strongest storms to hit the continental U.S
The Category 4 hurricane made landfall in Mexico Beach, Florida on Wednesday, Oct. 10th. Governor Rick Scott of Florida described Michael as “the worst storm that our Florida Panhandle has seen in a century”. It toppled trees, blew away fences, and bent stop signs almost parallel to the ground. The 155-mile-per-hour winds blew debris around the never ending rains. It was impossible to see the full extent of the damage because the waters were still rising, topping some buildings. By 2 a.m. Thursday, Michael, now a tropical storm, was 25 miles east of Macon, Georgia, lost strength, with winds at 60 mph.b
Around 7,800 people were seeking shelter in American Red Cross shelters on Wednesday night. 1.4 million people people across seven states have lost power. Local governments have placed dusk-to-dawn curfews across several states as they worry the death toll will rise from 19 people. Dozens are still missing as authorities desperately search through mounds of debris. A couple stranded in their home after Michael had written “HELP” using debris and fallen trees in an effort to be saved. Their niece spotted the signal after searching aerial maps by the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). The couple was eventually rescued by emergency responders from the NOAA.
Even though the storm is calming down, the damage it has will last for years to come. The estimated cost of damage left by the hurricane is around $8.1 billion. Randy June, a resident of Mexico Beach, was one of many victims whose entire neighborhood was destroyed. “We’re gonna rebuild somehow,” he said. “I just don’t know how yet.”
