The House that the Hurricane broke: Hurricane Micheal's sinks Florida Panhandle.

Ripped from the roots: The village of Mexico Beach, FL has lost some 90% of its homes which were ripped from their foundations figuratively by Hurricane Michael on October 11, 2018. It is the second Hurricane Michael to strike North America. The first Hurricane Michael hit Canada's East Coast in 2000.

The article below was originally written on October 12th and revised Dec 4th enjoy.

For the United States, Mother Nature's long standing fury has boiled over. The Carolinas are still facing the aftershocks of Hurricane Florence that arrived on September 11th, a national day of mourning in the U.S. Although a category 1 hurricane, Florence still did untold damages to both North and South Carolina. The town of New Bern, Wilmington, the Outer Banks, NC were buried underwater and the residents are are still facing closed schools, businesses, water damaged homes and months of clean up. The last major hurricane to destroy both Carolinas on a large scale was Hurricane Hazel in 1956 that not only destroyed the coast but also killed some 200+ people in Haiti en route to the Carolinas.

There is a pattern with the deadly hurricanes now attacking the coasts in mid September. This is the second year, a hurricane has arrived on 9/11 forgive the irony. When it comes to weather, the Carolinas are one body dealing with a cruel butterfly effect. If a downpour happens in North Carolina, it will be felt in South Carolina almost immediately. Their neighbor to the south, Florida is famous for having some of the most stubborn people around. Perhaps ordinary Floridians believe standing up to a hurricane and surviving the aftershocks will make them stronger. The Floridian stubbornness appears to be tied to a local exceptionalism part of the larger American exceptionalism that insists that Floridians don't run from  a fight or danger no matter if its a category 4 hurricane causing the harm or another person. Thousands of Floridians ignored a week long televised warning by the governor pleading with the residents in English, Spanish and sign language as well as advisories to forget about personal property and replaceable material items and save themselves. There are the people who proudly state, "my grandfather survived the hurricane of 1935, I survived Andrew and Bertha."









Now Florida, most famous for being a target of hurricanes every year, has faced its worst hurricane attack in years. Hurricane Michael bypassed the Caribbean much like Hurricane Florence did and headed straight for mainland United States. Michael, a category 4 hurricane that had been building up its power, came out of the Gulf of Mexico and hit and wiped off the map, the small coastal village of Mexico Beach, Florida. The larger beach city of Panama City (not be confused with Panama City, Panama) also destroying multiple homes, schools, hospitals and roads. Panama City, FL is a popular Spring Break destination for hundreds of college and high school students who still flock to Florida between March-May. The spring breakers like the tourists elsewhere in the world ie Europe and Asia are being chased by Mother Nature's increasing climatic war. The Florida Panhandle is closer to Alabama and Mississippi. It is more rural than the Caribbean/Latin American styled South Florida. The Panhandle is the most forested area of Florida. It is a sliver of rural, "old Florida" (disappearing gradually), semi-deep South home to the Florida Crackas (the rednecks, country people) that is known more for being eccentric and unique compared to the rest of the state. Especially Tampa, Miami and Orlando areas. When Michael hit it not only destroyed infrastructure but also isolated the rural coastal towns and inland surrounded by forest further from each other not to mention from help coming across the state and frm other states. Mexico Beach resembles a tsunami hit town. While Panama City, FL has withstand some of the major destruction, most of the town is destroyed. Other smaller towns near the Florida-Alabama border ie Marianna, Althia, and the Florida-Georgia line that was also struck by the hurricane are still in shock and recovering. Many houses in Mexico Beach and elsewhere were ripped off their foundations.

Help did not come

The  displaced are still waiting for FEMA to aid them in their basic needs ie food and shelter. The FEMA has only been able to respond to the numerous hurricanes striking the United States. It doesn't handle preventive environmental measures needed to reduce the destruction of infrastructure and lives. That is left to the states and people on the ground.

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