Hurricane Harvey slams Texas

Hurricane Harvey, a Category Four major hurricane, recently made landfall in southeastern Texas. Communities, like Houston and Corpus Christi, were flooded after Harvey dropped two feet of water. Thousands of people were rescued from their homes and tens of thousands more are currently displaced.

“A family friend was in the path of impact and suffered damages to their home and many of their belongings,” junior Arica Hood said. “Now that we have been exposed to the effects of a serious natural disaster such as Hurricane Harvey, we can better prepare those in the path of impact and help them through this situation.”

The last Category 3 or strong hurricane in the United States was 2005 Hurricane Wilma, which affected South Florida. Hurricane Wilma killed 23 people; Hurricane Harvey’s latest death toll was 70 people.

Originally a tropical storm, the conditions in the Gulf of Mexico contributed to Hurricane Harvey becoming a major disaster. A state of emergency was declared for 30 counties and parts of two counties were evacuated mandatorily.

“I had family in the line of damage around the Corpus area,” junior Lennox Yocham said. “They had to evacuate to Austin because of flooding, stores being shut down, resources being gone, and very strong winds.”

More than two hundred thousand homes were destroyed, leaving its residents to rely on shelters and charities for basic necessities. Locally, charities, business, and individuals have contributed to assist victims.

“The hurricane raised my awareness for how important it is to help those in harsh situations,” Hood said. “My family and I donated to a GoFundMe for our family friend.”

To assist Hurricane Harvey victims, donate to the Greater Houston’s Community Foundation Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.