Is Sandy, short for Sandra a damsel or pretty chick? No. Sandy is a natural disaster. It is a hurricane. As at 2.04 pm ET today 29th October 2012, Hurricane Sandy had claimed at least 67 lives - including 51 in Haiti. In the United States, schools are closed, businesses shuttered and mass transit suspended. This is clearly indicative that Sandy had started inflicting damage on properties, businesses and claiming lives of people. If it were in Nigeria or in deed any sub-Sahara African country how much losses would have been recorded?
The tree below was an early sign of losses.
Photo source: CNN Blog.
What is a hurricane?
A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone or severe tropical storm. It forms in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. A typical cyclone is accompanied by thunderstorms, and in the Northern Hemisphere, a counterclockwise circulation of winds near the earth’s surface. The Atlantic hurricane season begins in June and lasts up to November, with the peak season in mid-August to late October. Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to coastlines and several hundred miles inland. Hurricane can produce winds exceeding 155 miles per hour as well as tornadoes. Additionally, hurricanes can create storm surges along the coast and cause extensive damage from heavy rainfall. Floods and flying debris from the excessive winds are often the deadly and destructive results of these weather events. Slow moving hurricanes traveling into mountainous regions tend to produce especially heavy rain. Excessive rain can trigger landslides or mud slides. Flash flooding can also occur as a result of heavy rainfall. Other natural disasters include Drought, Earthquakes, Extreme Heat, Floods, Landslides, Severe Weather, Space Weather, Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Volcanoes, Wildfires, Winter Storms & Extreme Cold, Pandemic and Home Fires.
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