The United States has not yet fully recovered from the fury of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria that struck Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico respectively. Already Tropical Storm Philippe is brewing, and it is expected to hit the Northeast on the fifth anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Sandy.
Philippe is expected to be accompanied by heavy rains of up to 5 inches in some areas, with possibilities of flooding as indicated by the National Weather Service. Such a situation could pose dangers to lives and properties. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, all vessels have been advised to remain in port until the situation becomes normal.
Caution from the National Weather Service
NBC News reports that NWS has cautioned that tropical storm Philippe could give rise to high-speed winds of at least 64-knots, and comparable to hurricane-force winds. Hence, necessary precautions must be taken by all concerned keeping in mind the experience of Hurricane Sandy which had led to the large-scale devastation of properties and loss of lives.
NWS has also cautioned about possible power outages and uprooted trees that could hamper road communication apart from disturbance of flight schedules at major airports in the region.
It may be recalled that five years back Hurricane Sandy struck New Jersey, left millions without power, and left 182 dead with billions in damage.
Frequency of hurricanes on the rise
It is a fact that the frequency of natural disasters like hurricanes and tropical storms is on the rise. The United States continues to be at the receiving end which is becoming a matter of concern. According to NWS, tropical storm Philippe is forming around the Bahamas, and it will bring heavy rains to the East Coast.
The people have been cautioned and a situation like Hurricane Sandy must be avoided.
Weather is an unpredictable entity and adds to the seriousness of the problem. The weatherman has sophisticated equipment at his disposal. He can warn about an impending disturbance like a hurricane of a storm but not about uprooted trees. These are man’s creation because trees get uprooted when the soil binding the roots become loose or is lost.
The result would mean blockage of roads or breakage of electrical transmission lines.
One school of thought attributes such vagaries of nature to climate change caused by global warming. This leads to the melting of Arctic ice which disturbs the balance of nature. It is a debatable point, but the recent spate of hurricanes have targeted the US, and the phenomenon is being studied by experts.
