Hurricanes come and go, most are powerful but nothing in the last decade compares to Hurricane Matthew. The fierce storm hit the Caribbean on Thursday leaving devastation in its wake. Haiti was hit when Matthew was only a category 3 hurricane (which is still plenty powerful) with winds exceeding 100 mph. The exact damage Matthew inflicted to Haiti is still being sorted out but at least 39 people have been killed and a large percentage of homes have either been heavily damaged or outright destroyed.
Hurricane Matthew is now about to make landfall in the U.S. On it’s way from the Carribean it has been upgraded from a category 3 to a category 4 hurricane. Its winds are now blowing around 125 mph. The east coast has been working feverishly to prepare for the hurricane and residents have been evacuated.
“Everyone in our state must prepare now for a direct hit,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott told a news conference in Tallahassee on Wednesday. “If Matthew directly impacts Florida, the destruction could be catastrophic and you need to be prepared.”
The anticipated destruction is so great that four states in the path of Hurricane Matthew (Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina) have declared a state of emergency. That means those states have the right to invoke the national guard, which they have. In fact, the states have requested that active duty national guard be doubled to 3,000.
Shelters have now opened in all four states affected by Hurricane Matthew and residents have been encouraged to evacuate their homes for their own safety. Residents are advised to stock up on food, water, and gas. Almost all gas stations in Florida have been emptied out. Many stations are empty and have signs that say “out of gas.” We wish all those in the potential areas safety.
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