32 people have died from Hurricane Florence. And those who are still alive, they still have to endure the severe consequences of the storm, including deadly dangers.
Hurricane Florence passed is really a disaster for the people of East America. At the present time, water continues to rise in rivers, causing flooding in many areas.
People trapped in floodplains are currently facing many problems: shortages of medicine, food and clean water. Power lines collapsed, people had to use generators, leading to an increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Raging water snakes, sharp debris floating in the water, the risk of infection and disease outbreaks caused by mosquitoes are also evident.
“Yes, there are bacteria, or snakes around,” replied Dan Lowry, a resident of Maxton (North Carolina) while wading through a waist-deep water.
People trapped in flood zones are currently facing many problems.
Lowry and his wife, both wearing shorts, were barefoot. They were desperately examining what was left in the garden behind their house.
Currently, the death toll from Hurricane Florence has reached 32. Most of them drowned because of the floods. And for those who are still alive, they still have to endure the severe consequences of the storm, including deadly dangers.
“When the water is up to a meter deep, the drainage system starts to work, creating dangerous whirlpools . The tragedy is that you won’t see any signs on the water” – quote David Persse, expert public health in Houston. Persse said a few years ago, there were deaths from accidentally being sucked down the drain pipes.
Behind the floodwaters are terrifying dangers.
“People just look at it and wonder: what’s so dangerous about the water? What’s the difference with a lake?” Persse exclaims.
But everything is like that. The water at this time contains harmful chemicals – often coming from the septic tank of households. There are also cleaning agents, paints, chemicals in the garage, or even substances that are decomposed by human corpses.
As reported by the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency), a train full of butanol was knocked down right on the border between North and South Carolina. Luckily no chemicals leaked, but the diesel did spread, contaminating an entire area. Later, the lands here will take a long time to recover for agricultural and livestock activities.
Water flooded a house in Lumberton (city in North Carolina).
Next is the issue of medical relief . Tom Cotter, the regional relief team leader, said he has more than 100 patients in need of dialysis waiting to be moved to Jacksonville – 145km from the flood area. Among these were people who had not received treatment more than 5 days ago as a result of the storm.
Disease is also a cause for concern. According to Makoma Patahalla – a resident, he had experienced Hurricane Matthew in 2016. At the time of his rescue, he had a severe infection in both his legs and arms, which was extremely painful.
“It’s not clear where the infection came from,” Patahalla said. The doctors later could not explain why either.
Flooding for too long also causes serious damage to homes.
This is not a rare case. As during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, many people caught in the flood developed intestinal infections, plus severe skin rashes. In addition, a strange disease caused by rare bacteria also broke out, causing hundreds of people to be hospitalized urgently.
According to experts, animals such as mice, ferrets and certain types of cattle can be hosts for the spread of bacteria. Through water, people easily become infected if they have an open wound, or even simply get water in their eyes and mouth.
Flooding for too long also causes serious damage to homes. Mold grew and spread very quickly within 48 hours, and people could not live anymore.
And finally the mental damage . According to Jean Rhodes – psychotherapist, many victims have suffered too much shock. They have to witness the fierce devastation of the storm, the loss of loved ones, the houses being swept away by floods and storms… Loss causes too much stress, leading to depression and anxiety disorders later in life. .
Psychological trauma after the storm is also extremely serious.
And more tragic, those same people may have to go through the disaster again.
“It can be considered a shock, because these are so big events that you can’t get over it in a short time.”