Summary: The South-Central United States have been traumatized from the multiple severe and unpredicted weather conditions that have arisen in 2021 alone. Currently, there is a high risk of injury due to the flooding and rain, primarily in Louisiana and Texas. With over thirty million people being given a flash flood warning, water levels are continuing to increase in certain areas. Many have evacuated their homes in search of drier land and a temporary place to stay. Baton Rouge, Louisiana is offering ferry boats to help shuttle people to hotels safely to prevent people from attempting to drive. Some measurements have reported over three feet of water, making other forms of transportation virtually unusable. Five deaths are being investigated for being the result of the weather and being stranded in trapped situations. Although not many people have reported injuries, the death toll goes to show the dangers of the current climate crisis and the devastating effects. Some of the towns being hit the hardest had just finished, or were currently working on, recovering from the two hurricanes that had recently struck the area. Additionally, tornado watches have also been released in parts of Texas, and the combination between the rain and wind may be catastrophic.
Reflection: Ohio is relatively safe from natural disasters and I am not sure if I have ever been more grateful. Reading about the horrible situation described in this article was difficult, as it affected so many people. Families were evacuated from their homes and emergency service workers are working tirelessly, and yet no one has the power to truly fix it. The occurrence is purely the result of a constantly changing climate and any reports were not able to predict or anticipate the sheer ferocity at which the flooding would occur. It greatly upsets me that some of the areas that have been most affected were also those that suffered the greatest from the hurricanes, as they have already experienced enough turns and losses in their lives.