Hurricane Harvey Hits Houston

Hurricane Harvey, a category 4 storm, hit Houston, Texas on August 25, 2017.

This is one of the worst hurricanes to hit the United States mainly because of the flooding. Hurricanes form when strong and wet air rises and makes huge clouds. It then causes heavy rain, strong winds, and pressure. The people of Houston were devastated, some leaving pets behind to flee to their own safety. Schools, homes, businesses, all washed out by flood water. This water is not clean, either.

It has sewage and debris in it, which probably does not smell the best. The worst of this monstrous storm is that families lost loved ones in the midst of all the chaos. Jeff Schlegelmilch, the deputy director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University says, “The sad thing is, of the deaths we’ve seen, we’re going to see more, unfortunately. That number doesn’t stop moving up until we’re well into the recovery phase.” The recovery of Harvey has been a bumpy ride. It will cost about $160 billion in damage.

Homeowners whose houses were washed away need places to stay until they find a new home. Some are staying at places like churches that have opened their doors to the community. Others are staying with people they know who are fortunate enough to have their home still standing. Lathan Oliver, a victim of Harvey says, “As you can see, it’s a total waste.” But he is thankful for something far more important.

“We didn’t lose a life here,” Oliver says. “Everybody made it out alive.” Although he got lucky, others did not. They lost family members and greatly loved pets. You can help by donating money to support the victims of Hurricane Harvey. The JJ Watt Foundation has already raised over $33 million and are still accepting donations.

Crews are still working hard to recover Houston from this historic tragedy.