Informative Essay: The Power Of Hurricanes

The Power of Hurricanes

Power is the ability to do something or act in a particular way, especially as a faculty or quality. It comes in many types that shape up the world that we live in today. Mother Nature is a type of power that can not be stopped and can turn a whole community or city into shambles. The state of New York will never be what it used to be after 2012 when a hurricane swept across the state leaving people homeless and nowhere to go. The question everyone need to ask each other is, How did hurricane Sandy impact the lives of people?

Hurricanes take several days or even weeks to strengthen and the ocean plays a big part in strengthening storms. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “Because it is the

That is exactly how Hurricane Sandy developed. It began as a tropical storm on October 22, 2012 right off the coast of Nicaragua and every several hours began to increase in both strength and size. It only took several days until it was upgraded to a Category 1 Hurricane which is where the wind speed can range from 74-95 mph. According to Coastal Living “During a Category 1 storm, protected glass windows generally remain intact. Some roof damage to frame homes, apartments, and shopping centers can also occur, as well as short-term power outages due to snapped power lines and downed trees” (Miller). Luckily, Hurricane Sandy remained a Category 1 Hurricane as it surged through the Bahamas and up the Eastern Coastline of the United States plowing through Washington D.C, Philadelphia & New York. To make matters worse, when Hurricane Sandy struck New

Sandy’s powerful winds and torrential downpours hit areas at high-risk for poisons and pollutants released into the environment. Pesticides and E. Coli were also found in sample water and were carried into bodies of water, The Great South Bay being the closest to us. The amount of fish and sea life decreased because they were no longer able to deal with the water they were living in and were unable to survive with the water conditions. Peoples homes were also impacted significantly. According to Environmental Engineer Solutions, “‘indoor exposure to mold has been linked to upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people, and with exacerbation of symptoms in people with asthma’” (Stalker). Hurricane Sandy did not only account for fatalities as it was sweeping through states, but the impact it had on the environment also. Nuclear Power Plants & Oil Refineries were also affected by Sandy’s aftermath. According to The WegoWire, “the AP reported 336,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the Arthur Kill waterway after a storage tank ruptured from the storm surge” (Blaszczak). I can remember these days like it was yesterday, when all gas stations were in short supply of gasoline and only certain cars could get gas each day. It would depend on the numbers/letters on your license plate because they weren’t able to provide a full tank of gasoline for every single car. Sandy created a chain