Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Friday, Aug. 24, between Port Aransas and Port O’Conner in Texas. On Aug. 30, Hurricane Harvey made its third landfall and weakened to a tropical depression. Granted, the numbers for Hurricane Harvey are still rolling in, but experts are quick and confident to say that this storm was a historical event. An article published by the Houston Chronicle reported that 51.88 inches of rain were dumped on the Houston area over a period of six days. The city’s infrastructure has suffered tremendous damage that will take millions of dollars to repair.
Although the rain and flooding has ceased, the city of Houston and surrounding areas are still in recovery mode. Peoples’ homes have been destroyed and floodwaters are carrying pathogens, snakes, feces and other deadly threats. Highways and streets are still flooded and thousands of people have been left displaced, separated and stranded.
Evacuees and those who were stranded took to twitter and other social media, desperate for rescue. Unfortunately, people were also quick to point fingers. Some took to social media to attack residents that were stranded. There was an overall assumption that residents were lazy and complicit in evacuating. It’s important to remember that during times of disaster and devastation, evacuation is not an option for some people. Some people don’t have the means to leave or have anywhere to go. Evacuation efforts rest on both good communication from local government and planning.
There’s no doubt that Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, however there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. Social media feeds (mine included) were filled with heart-warming videos and testimonies coming out of Houston. Strangers offering up personal boats for rescue efforts, Air bnb hosts opening up their properties for free and people from all around the country banded together and made donations to those in need.
If you’re interesting helping Harvey victims, click here for a list of credible relief efforts.