By: Mihika Rajeev
Hurricane Ian, the third most deadliest hurricane for the US in this century, has killed a hundred. However, its effects don’t end there as many more are left homeless after flooding takes a toll on their houses.
Hurricane Ian was a category four storm that killed at least one hundred and six, and displaced forty thousand six hundred. People are still struggling to get back on their feet: questioning where they are going to live, how they are going to work, and how they are going to get their children to school. Many people are working to pay for the damages done to their homes, whereas others, unable to do so, are living in mass shelters.
Mark Friederlander, the Communications Director of Insurance Information Institute explains, “The most concerning factor coming out of the storm and all the losses is the lack of flood insurance, particularly in the Central Florida area.”
Furthermore, many of the houses which had been infiltrated by water don’t have flood insurance, this leaves the residents homeless and in a paramount of debt. Others who do have insurance may find that it isn’t enough to cover all the damage.
Pamela Sanders, a victim of the flooding says, “It’s unbelievable. I always had a job, paid my bills, paid off my house, was all set for retirement––and now I’m 75 and homeless.” Central Florida was especially unprepared for flooding and most people didn’t have any flood insurance to help them.
Hurricane Ian has proved how just a couple of miles can differentiate between losing a home permanently or losing electricity temporarily.
Other islands nearby have also been negatively affected by Hurricane Ian. For example, the bridge connecting Sanibel Island and Pine Island to Florida was destroyed. In fact, some places have been described as “unlivable” and “very dangerous”. Helicopters are flying over and dropping supplies to those on the islands and temporary bridges are being constructed.
Governor Ron DeSantis has stated that, “We’re gonna have that bridge patched this week. Yesterday we had 130 [Florida Department of Transportation] trucks that were there working to get this temporary bridge fixed. It will be done this week.”
Hurricane Ian has changed many people’s lives for the worse but it has once again shown us how we can work together and get through anything the world tosses at us.
