Typhoon Mangkhut is the strongest storm this year that recently hit Hong Kong and the Philippines. The storm brought down part of a mountain, trapping many Filipinos in their homes. Families wait patiently as rescuers retrieve a few dead bodies from the ground; more could be on the way.
During these events, people should always evacuate. It is very dangerous to stay in a place where a storm has hit. The hurricanes or typhoons are not the only scary part: it’s the aftermath that comes along with it. There are many issues after hurricanes including power, water supply and shortage of other basic needs. These shortages can make life very dangerous and hard to live.
Not only did the typhoon cause damage in the Philippines, but many people have died in Hong Kong too. The storm toppled many trees and collapsed several buildings. Many trees in Victoria Park that have been standing for centuries were snapped in half and uprooted. These trees become very loose and are easily broken. Someone could be walking down the street and a tree could fall on them. Therefore, people must evacuate until the place is one hundred percent cleared.
Storms don’t always have to be devastating events; these are events where people can leave their homes before the typhoon and go somewhere safe. In order to evacuate immediately before a storm, it is important to have an evacuation plan ready. Having a plan helps keep people calm during these situations. It is important to remain calm and know exactly where to go and what to do. Remaining calm could possibly save lives.
Bad weather conditions are occuring in the US as well. North Carolina is experiencing really harsh storms; some of them reaching winds of 90 miles per hour. Along with the storm 20, 30 or even 40 inches of rainfall is predicted in some spots on the Carolina coast. Once people evacuate to somewhere safe, we are able to avoid many injuries and possibly deaths.
Augustana does a good job of doing drills to prepare students for possible evacuations. Last week, an evacuation drill occurred. Students were forced to evacuate the library, residence halls, and classrooms. Emails and text messages were sent to students and staff members to evacuate all buildings. Classes and meetings must be paused until the drill is over. We take our drills really seriously here. Most drills occur without students knowing beforehand. This helps show what a real storm and evacuation process looks like. Storms are never planned and we never know when they’re coming.
The typhoon has made its visit to the Philippines and mainland China. Storms have been happening in the States too. We never know where storms could hit next. Therefore, we must always be prepared. Countries close to the Indian Ocean or western Pacific Ocean should have evacuation drills because they have the highest chance of being hit by typhoons.
Graphic Design by Noah Robey.