The death toll in Hurricane Harvey has gone up to 38, and this could increase as rescue work continues on a war footing. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has said that the worst is not over and return to normal would be a long drawn process and could stretch into months. While interacting with the media, he described the Disaster as being 'far larger' than Katrina or Sandy.
Life in total disorder
Daily Mail UK reports that Hurricane Harvey has thrown lives into total disorder with more than 30,000 being accommodated in temporary shelters across the state.
Harvey has been downgraded to a tropical depression but it has already left at least 38 dead, and the count could go up as the flood water recedes.
The cost of damages in the disaster is estimated to be over $150-billion with more than 500,000 ruined cars and over 48,000 homes impacted by the floods. Texas has witnessed more than 50 inches of rainfall since Harvey first made landfall last Friday and this is believed to be the heaviest in the history of the US. Harvey is expected to produce an additional 4 to 8 inches of rainfall along the Texas-Louisiana line.
Safety at such times
It is known that unscrupulous elements will take advantage of a disaster like Hurricane Harvey and engage in criminal activities.
They will loot, carry out armed robberies or even impersonate the law. They could arrive in the guise of police officers and ask residents to leave citing possible dangers. Then they will ransack the house. Already, some of them have been arrested in the Houston area.
Therefore Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston, has issued an overnight curfew from 10 pm until 5 am beginning on Tuesday night.
It will be in force for an indefinite period, and during curfew, no one can drive or be in any public place.
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has indicated that at present 14,000 troops are available in Texas and another 10,000 will be added.
Is global warming to blame?
The United States had faced the fury of Hurricane Katrina that had struck in August 2005, and the number of death was above 1500.
Hurricane Ike followed it in September 2008 – the death toll in the US was over 100. Next came Hurricane Sandy of October 2012 and now, Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 which has crippled life in Texas.
Weather is unpredictable, but there is, usually, a pattern which is based on past information. However, effects of global warming have given rise to totally unexpected weather patterns that result in hurricanes, typhoons, floods, and mud slides. Glaciers melt, sea level rises and in the bargain, people die, properties are damaged, and the infrastructure takes a beating. The world must realize that unless a man can check global warming, disasters like hurricanes will continue to batter countries.
