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David

Hurricane Joaquim


The US didn’t think much about Hurricane Joaquim back in October 2015 or any time since, but Long Island in the Bahamas will remember Joaquim for a very long time. To say Joaquim devastated Long Island is to understate it substantially. It was a Category 5 storm when it hit Long Island with winds at 200 mph. I’m surprised anything survived that strength of wind. The next time you are driving down an interstate, stick your head all the way out the window and try to breath, then mentally multiply that feeling by 6 and you will have an idea of what a 200mph wind might feel like. For me it is simply impossible to imagine the emotional, financial and physical impact of devastation like this. There were no deaths due to the storm which is remarkable given the flooding, the damage to buildings and the amount of debris flying through the air.

Long Island might never be the same. Much arable land was ruined by being flooded with salt water from the tidal surge and will take decades of rainfall to fully flush out the salt and be able to produce crops again. Many historical buildings were damaged or destroyed, and many people lost their homes or had them severely damaged. While the standard of living here is not poverty level, I don’t think there is much insurance coverage and few people have the means to absorb a sudden expense such as rebuilding a home or replacing an automobile.

It sounds like the government did what they could, including airlifting many people off the island for short-term relief. Many others left the island to live with relatives in other places. Our guide said that most of the people who left have not come back and he thinks many never will.

It is saddening to see the destruction, but at the same time uplifting to see these patient people rebuilding and getting on with their lives. The government is paying for seawalls to be built along the roads in many places. The boat we saw being built is a replacement for one irreparably damaged by the storm.

I wonder if I would summon the strength to carry on that these Long Islanders demonstrate in the face of true disaster. It kind of puts storms, mal-de-mar, and broken engines in perspective.


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