Natural Disasters

As Hurricanes Irma And Harvey Slam The U.S., Climate Deniers Remain Steadfast

September 9, 2017 Marianne Lavelle, www.insideclimatenews.org Educate! Climate Change, Hurricane, Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Natural Disasters

By Marianne Lavelle for Inside Climate News - With the lives of Texans and Floridians upended by back-to-back superstorms, one thing hasn't been shaken: climate change denial. Hurricane Harvey, which broke the continental U.S. rainfall record with its deluge of southeast Texas, and Hurricane Irma, barreling toward South Florida as one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded, epitomize the consensus science warnings of heightened risks in a warming world. The last peer-reviewed National Climate Assessment, in 2014, highlighted extreme precipitation and the increasing intensity of Atlantic hurricanes as looming perils for the United States. But steadfast opponents of action on global warming are either sticking to their guns or avoiding comment, while Trump administration officials declare it inappropriate to discuss climate amid tragedy. Texas politicians have been particularly silent on climate change's tie to the storm that ravaged their state. InsideClimate News received no response from Texas' two senators, Republicans Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, or from Congressmen representing districts on the southeast coast that were affected by Harvey.

6 Questions On Hurricane Irma, Harvey And Climate Change

September 8, 2017 Sabrina Shankman, www.insideclimatenews.org Educate! Climate Change, Hurricane, Natural Disasters

By Sabrina Shankman for Inside Climate News - A third of the way into the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, NOAA looked at the ocean and air temperatures and issued an ominous new forecast: the region would likely experience "an above normal hurricane season" that "could be extremely active," with more named storms than previously expected—14 to 19 this season—and two to five major hurricanes. Now, halfway through the season, Hurricane Harvey's destruction stretches along the Texas coast, and Hurricane Irma looks likely to make landfall in Florida after causing mass destruction in the Caribbean. Just a few days behind Irma, Hurricane Jose appears to be following the same deadly path, while Hurricane Katia churns off Mexico's eastern coast. As global temperatures continue to rise, climate scientists have said this is what we should expect—more huge storms, with drastic impacts. Though scientists are still wrestling with some of the specifics of how climate change is impacting hurricanes, a lot is known, including the fact that hurricane seasons like this one could be the new norm.

The Bigger Disasters After Natural Disasters

September 8, 2017 Eleanor Goldfield, www.occupy.com Educate! Hurricane, Hurricane Harvey, Natural Disasters, Occupy

By Eleanor Goldfield for Occupy - The storm Hurricane Harvey may be over but the aftermath is just beginning. Letting history be our guide, we take a look at the capitalist machine that not only pulls protection against the worst storms but through shock doctrine moves orchestrates an aftermath that far overshadows the natural disaster that came before. With 12 years distance from Hurricane Katrina, we can see the trajectory that our government’s continued failings might take in Houston and the surrounding areas. On the flip side, we take a look at those filling the gaping chasms left by the system - the people on the ground, spearheading community aid and relief efforts. And guess what: very often, they’re the same people demonized in the media for punching fascists.

Prepare Your Community For Grassroots Disaster Response

September 5, 2017 Staff, www.bigideasforbees.wordpress.com Organize! Direct Action, Natural Disasters

By Staff of Big Ideas for Bees - Climate Chaos is happening. Adaptation and preparation are essential. Grassroots disaster response will be more and more necessary as we see more catastrophes – infrastructure, economic, and ecological collapses – and as corporations and governments seek only to capitalize on the crises. That is why I am helping to grow Mutual Aid Disaster Relief (MADR) – a new organization inspired by Common Ground, Occupy Sandy, the Standing Rock Water Protectors, and the long history of diverse grassroots direct actions seeking to make a better world possible. We are developing and training a standing network of community organizers and volunteer disaster responders, continually growing in size and efficacy, which will be at-the-ready to respond to natural and unnatural disasters – from hurricanes to hate rallies, from mudslides to mine waste spills – and to help survivors, especially those in marginalized communities, to stand up for themselves, to restore their homes, to build their power, and to vision a more sustainable future.

Why Are The Crucial Questions About Hurricane Harvey Not Being Asked?

September 2, 2017 George Monbiot, www.theguardian.com Educate! Hurricane, Hurricane Harvey, Natural Disasters, Texas

By George Monbiot for The Guardian - This is a manmade climate-related disaster. To ignore this ensures our greatest challenge goes unanswered and helps push the world towards catastrophe. It is not only Donald Trump’s government that censors the discussion of climate change; it is the entire body of polite opinion. This is why, though the links are clear and obvious, most reports on Hurricane Harvey have made no mention of the human contribution to it. In 2016 the US elected a president who believes that human-driven global warming is a hoax. It was the hottest year on record, in which the US was hammered by a series of climate-related disasters. Yet the total combined coverage for the entire year on the evening and Sunday news programmes on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News amounted to 50 minutes. Our greatest predicament, the issue that will define our lives, has been blotted from the public’s mind. This is not an accident. But nor (with the exception of Fox News) is it likely to be a matter of policy. It reflects a deeply ingrained and scarcely conscious self-censorship. Reporters and editors ignore the subject because they have an instinct for avoiding trouble.

People Displaced By Climate Change Could Reach 1 Billion By 2050

September 2, 2017 Baher Kamal, www.towardfreedom.com Educate! Climate Change, Displacement, Natural Disasters

By Baher Kamal for Think Progress - (IPS) – Imagine a world with as many as one billion people facing harsh climate change impacts resulting in devastating droughts and/or floods, extreme weather, destruction of natural resources, in particular lands, soils and water, and the consequence of severe livelihoods conditions, famine and starvation. Although not yet based on definite scientific projections, the proven speed with which the process of climate change has been taking place, might lead to such a scenario by 2050. If so, 1 in 9 human beings would be on the move by then. Currently, forecasts vary from 25 million to 1 billion environmental migrants by 2050, moving either within their countries or across borders, on a permanent or temporary basis, with 200 million being the most widely cited estimate, according to a 2015 study carried out by the Institute for Environment and Human Security of the United Nations University. “This figure equals the current estimate of international migrants worldwide.” Other specialised sources estimate that “every second, one person is displaced by disaster.” On this, the Oslo-based Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) reports that in 2015 only, more than 19.2 million people fled disasters in 113 countries.

Hurricane Harvey, Climate Change Denialists And The Right

September 1, 2017 Joshua Frank, www.counterpunch.org Educate! Climate Change, Hurricane, Hurricane Harvey, Natural Disasters

By Joshua Frank for Counter Punch - What does Coulter believe then? That Harvey is nothing new? Actually, it is, no matter what Coulter tweets. Harvey is now the heaviest rainstorm in US history and was made worse by our warming climate. There’s little scientific doubt about it. As climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe and many others point out, as the world warms, evaporation of water increases, which means there is more water vapor in storms and more rain to dump compared to 70 years ago. In basic terms, warmer air is able to hold more water and hence more rainfall is likely to occur. Hurricane intensity in the future is predicted to increase as our climate warms. The Gulf of Mexico’s surface temp increased almost 5 degreesFahrenheit as Harvey was building last week. These waters, one of the warmest ocean surfaces on the planet at the time, along with warmer air temps, allowed Harvey to turn from a tropical storm into a cat 4 hurricane almost overnight. Even Coulter’s God couldn’t stop it. Coulter and her fans probably wouldn’t want the floods to dry up anyway, because when crisis hits there is money to be made and victims to rip off. As Ken Klippenstein first reported, a Best Buy in Cypress, an unincorporated suburb of Houston in Harris County, began selling packs of bottled water for $42.96.

1,200 Dead; Up To 41 Million Affected In Asian Flooding

September 1, 2017 Andy Rowell, www.priceofoil.org Educate! Bangladesh, India, Natural Disasters, Nepal

By Andy Rowell for Oil Change International - As much of the North American media focuses on the ongoing unprecedented flooding and relief efforts in Texas and now potentially Louisiana, another tragedy is unfolding, which is going largely unreported, in Asia. Whereas the death toll in Texas stands at 20, the estimated death toll in South Asia is estimated at 1,200 after weeks of unusually strong monsoon rains affecting India, Bangladesh and Nepal. The Red Cross estimates that 14 million people have been affected by flooding in India; over 7 million in Bangladesh and 1.5 million in Nepal. The United Nations puts the total number of people affected by floods and lindslides at total nearly double that at 41 million. According to the Red Cross: “Vast swaths of land across all three countries are under water .. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes and their livelihoods. Many medical facilities, schools, markets and other essential services are submerged.” And as the rains continue, many people are worried that the death toll – and the number affected – will rise. Although the monsoon is an annual event, this year’s rains have been seen as far worse than usual, which people are blaming our changing climate for making things much worse.

Superfund Sites And Oil Refineries Already Poisoning Storm-Wracked Houston

September 1, 2017 Whitney Webb, www.mintpressnews.com Educate! Houston, Natural Disasters, Oil, pollution, Refineries

By Whitney Webb for Mint Press News - Houston is still struggling to cope with the impact of Hurricane Harvey, as many parts of the city are still under water. But the worst damage done by the storm may be yet to come, as receding floodwaters have revealed widespread chemical contamination stemming from the city’s petrochemical plants. As the “apocalyptic” floodwaters in Houston and other parts of east Texas have been rising thanks to Hurricane Harvey, media attention has been largely focused on the immediate human impact, such as displacement and property damage. However, with much of Houston underwater, the environmental impact – and its short- and long-term effects on public health – deserve substantial attention as well. Houston is home to several toxic Superfund sites, as well as numerous petrochemical and oil refining facilities, many of which were found to be leaking during the storm. Though water levels are starting to decline, concern is growing that a new, more persistent crisis may be beginning for Houston residents. Texas is home to numerous Superfund sites, areas identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as containing highly hazardous waste. Such sites are usually targeted for cleanup efforts.

Can The Politicians Heed The Lessons Of Hurricane Harvey?

August 31, 2017 Ralph Nader, www.blog.nader.org Create! Houston, Hurricane, Natural Disasters, Politics, Taxes

By Ralph Nader of The Nader Page - Hovering Hurricane Harvey, loaded and reloading with trillions of gallons of water raining down on the greater Houston region—ironically the hub of the petroleum refining industry—is an unfolding, off the charts tragedy for millions of people. Many of those most affected are minorities and low-income families with no homes, health care or jobs to look forward to once the waters recede. Will this tragedy teach us the lessons that so many politicians and impulsive voters have been denying for so long? The first lesson is that America must come home: we must end the Empire of Militarism and of playing the role of policeman of the planet. Both of these habitual roles are backfiring and depleting trillions of taxpayer dollars that could be better used toward rebuilding our country’s infrastructure, strengthening our catastrophe-response networks and preparing for the coming megastorms like Hurricane Harvey. A projected trillion dollars being spent by Obama, and now Trump, just to upgrade nuclear weapons will only spur another arms race with Russia and China. This money could be more productively spent protecting Americans from immediate threats, such as natural disasters from man-made climate change.

Louisiana’s “Cajun Navy” Just Arrived In Texas To Rescue People From Floods

August 30, 2017 Carey Wedler, www.activistpost.com Create! Aid, Hurricane, Natural Disasters, Texas

By Carey Wedler for Activist Post - Though FEMA plans to play a large role in disaster relief efforts as Hurricane Harvey continues to inundate Texas, a volunteer group is stepping in to help their fellow humans — and it’s not the first time they’ve taken action. The Cajun Navy first came into existence with 30 people and 23 rescue vessels during Hurricane Katrina and grew even larger amid severe flooding in Louisiana in 2016. The Guardian reported that last year — using social media — the group of hunters and fishermen were able to locate stranded residents and rescue them with their boats. Their missions were all the more vital amid the government’s failure to adequately take care of victims and provide housing and relief. For example, Julie Ralph of St. Francisville, Louisiana, turned to Amazon, creating a page to accept donations of basic supplies. Ralph said that as the floodwaters cleared and rescue operations turned into recovery operations, the Cajun Navy became the Cajun Army. As she said last September: As it stands, the boots on the ground are the Cajun Army, and anyone who can be summoned through Facebook or Twitter by people sharing how bad things are to get people to come over and help.

It’s A Fact: Climate Change Made Hurricane Harvey More Deadly

August 29, 2017 Michael E Mann, www.theguardian.com Educate! Climate Change, Hurricane, Natural Disasters

By Michael E Mann for The Guardian - What can we say about the role of climate change in the unprecedented disaster that is unfolding in Houston with Hurricane Harvey? There are certain climate change-related factors that we can, with great confidence, say worsened the flooding. Sea level rise attributable to climate change – some of which is due to coastal subsidence caused by human disturbance such as oil drilling – is more than half a foot (15cm) over the past few decades (see here for a decent discussion). That means the storm surge was half a foot higher than it would have been just decades ago, meaning far more flooding and destruction. In addition to that, sea surface temperatures in the region have risen about 0.5C (close to 1F) over the past few decades from roughly 30C (86F) to 30.5C (87F), which contributed to the very warm sea surface temperatures (30.5-31C, or 87-88F). There is a simple thermodynamic relationship known as the Clausius-Clapeyron equation that tells us there is a roughly 3% increase in average atmospheric moisture content for each 0.5C of warming.

Texas Senators Want Hurricane Harvey Disaster Declaration

August 29, 2017 Larry McShane, www.nydailynews.com Educate! Congress, Hurricane, Natural Disasters, Texas

By Larry McShane for Daily News - In the House, all but one Republican representative from the Lone Star State opposed the aid bills for Sandy. Republican leaders in the House actually delayed a vote on the multi-billion dollar aid program in early 2013, adjourning a January session for weeks as storm victims twisted in the wind. Rep. Peter King (R-L.I.) at the time described the behavior of his GOP colleagues as “disgraceful,” noting most of the opponents came from states that had previously received disaster aid. Cornyn and Cruz were among the 39 Republican senators to oppose the package, along with 179 GOP members of the house. Republican senators further delayed the vote by trying to offset the aid with budget cuts.

Haiti’s Never-Ending Nightmare Grows Longer

October 13, 2016 Edna Bonhomme, www.socialistworker.org Educate! Haiti, Hurricane Matthew, Natural Disasters

By Edna Bonhomme for Socialist Worker - Haiti is enduring another not-so-natural disaster in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. With winds reaching 145 miles an hour, the storm wrecked homes, communities and lives, particularly along Haiti's southwestern coast. Estimates of the death toll have reached as high as 900, but most news sources acknowledge that this number is sure to rise.

Coverage Of Haiti And Hurricane Reinforces A Sad, Static Storyline

October 12, 2016 Staff, www.usatoday.com Educate! Haiti, Hurricane Matthew, Natural Disasters

By Janine Jackson for FAIR - While the extent of the damage exacted by Hurricane Matthew on Haiti is not yet known, more than 500 deaths have been reported. But with the storm moving toward the US, media too are moving, leaving in their wake the sorts of stories you would predict: “Fragile Haiti in the Line of Fire From Matthew” (USA Today, 10/3/16), “Impoverished Haiti Braces for ‘Catastrophic’ Floods as Hurricane Approaches” (Reuters, 10/4/16) and, from the New York Times(10/4/16), “A List of Previous Disasters in Haiti, a Land All Too Familiar With Hardship.”

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