Twenty-six years ago today Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston, South Carolina on September 21, 1989 with winds up to 135 miles per hour. These winds, together with a storm surge of water about 17 feet high, wrecked buildings and marinas along more than 100 miles of coastline.
Away
from the coast, high winds and several tornadoes damaged buildings and downed
trees and power lines. Due to the extreme intensity of Hurricane Hugo when it
crossed the South Carolina coast – the storm roared through inland communities
with unimaginable force.
Hugo
marched through South Carolina killing scores of people, destroying property,
leaving destruction and sorrow. Many who had fled the coast found themselves in
frightening weather conditions while they waited in motels, shelters, and
schools.
Almost
two-hundred miles inland Hugo still had 100-mph wind gusts. The major
metropolitan area of Charlotte, North Carolina suffered extensive damage.
Thousands of large trees fell into homes and businesses around Charlotte and
glass was shattered in downtown skyscrapers. Torrential rains in Virginia
flooded roads and cut power to 2 million people. By late on September 22nd,
Hugo finally died over the cool forest of southern Canada.
American Red Cross trained volunteers opened 438 shelters that housed over 93,000 people. One week after the storm over 56,000 people in South Carolina were left homeless. Red Cross served over 1,000,000 meals. Over 700 volunteers worked around the clock in South Carolina assisting hurricane victims with immediate needs such as food, clothing, shelter, bedding and other essential items of household furnishings as well as emergency medical supplies.
American Red Cross trained volunteers opened 438 shelters that housed over 93,000 people. One week after the storm over 56,000 people in South Carolina were left homeless. Red Cross served over 1,000,000 meals. Over 700 volunteers worked around the clock in South Carolina assisting hurricane victims with immediate needs such as food, clothing, shelter, bedding and other essential items of household furnishings as well as emergency medical supplies.
Ann Wright, CEO of the American Red Cross of Upstate South Carolina was
dispatched 3 days in advance of predicted landfall to North Charleston with a
team of disaster volunteers and staff leaders to serve as the Director of the
Charleston Hurricane District. She was there for the duration of the storm and
some of the first to see the damage at first light. “It was a harrowing night
as the eye passed over us in sheer darkness. We could hear trees breaking,
winds howling, and class shattering for what seemed like days! Amazingly, some
phone communications actually remained intact until the very end of the storm”
Ms. Wright said. “Many of our personnel and supplies were staging in Charlotte.
Unfortunately, Hugo took a path inland and literally followed Interstate 85 and
hit Charlotte with significant winds and rain. This delayed our support and
supply arrival, so we had to get by with what little we had. It was very scary,
yet a rewarding experience. People at their very best, and some at their very
worst, in one of the darkest hours this country had ever seen up to that point.
Not soon forgotten! My hope, said Ann Wright, is that no one will forget how
important it is to respect these storms and their power. Being prepared and
following evacuation orders are critical.”
The American Red Cross encourages every family to be Red Cross Ready in case of a hurricane or any disaster. It is important for you to be prepared for possible disasters and other emergencies. Natural or human-caused disasters can strike suddenly, at anytime and anywhere.
The American Red Cross encourages every family to be Red Cross Ready in case of a hurricane or any disaster. It is important for you to be prepared for possible disasters and other emergencies. Natural or human-caused disasters can strike suddenly, at anytime and anywhere.
#ItOnlyTakesOne Storm to affect life as you know it. Take the necessary precautions to be prepared for a
hurricane.
There are three actions everyone can take that can help make a
difference:
1. Get a kit
2. Make a Plan
3. Be informed
2. Make a Plan
3. Be informed
Join other members of your community through the American Red Cross in taking
these
first steps. You never know how many people your actions will affect, how
many lives you might change. Contact your local American Red Cross today for
more information on how you can be Red
Cross Ready, or if you would like to volunteer with the
American Red Cross.
No comments:
Post a Comment