WEEK 10: Extreme Weather


Due to its location, my country, Cuba, is prone to tropical storms. Tropical storms are common in Cuba and result in mass amounts of destruction. Not only do tropical storms hit the Caribbean islands but possible hurricanes could also seriously affect infrastructure, buildings, and assets. These storms are likely to occur from June to November. There is currently a Tropical storm that hit Cuba.  According to Euro News, it "made landfall Sunday before crossing the island’s eastern coast as a tropical storm Monday with winds and heavy rain, leaving at least six dead after a night that saw protests by several dozen people in urban neighborhoods like Santos Suárez and central Havana." This actively demonstrates how life-threatening these tropical storms can truly be. People in Cuba do not have money to keep facing storm after storm. Money is low for the average citizen and these natural events could take everything from them. It is important that everyone helps each other in such challenging times. 


Ways to Mitigate from a Tropical Storm, directly from FEMA.gov:

 Reinforce or strengthen your home to reduce the risk of damage from hurricane winds. The best way to reinforce or strengthen a structure is to:

    • Install hurricane shutters, cover windows with laminate window glass or impact-resistant glazing, or board up windows with exterior grade plywood.
    • Secure roof, wall, and foundation connections by installing hurricane clips at connection points.
    • Reinforce attached structures such as carports, porches, and garages.
    • Use reinforced concrete or masonry to reinforce mobile and manufactured homes.
    • Secure boats and other recreational sea vessels to a well-anchored mooring system if they cannot be stored on high, dry land.

These solutions could save lives and countries need to suffer from natural hazards to be prepared and educated on how to survive natural disasters. 



Cuba and the Hurricanes of the Caribbean | The New Yorker








Sources Cited:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2024/10/21/tropical-storm-oscar-path-tracker-spaghetti-models/75773306007/ 

https://www.euronews.com/2024/10/22/cuba-hurricane-oscar-causes-havoc-amid-massive-power-outage-in-havana

https://community.fema.gov/ProtectiveActions/s/article/Hurricane-Protect-Your-Property-Mitigation-and-Retrofitting 

                     


 


  

                                                    

Comments

  1. AitianaOctober 23, 2024 at 6:58 PM

    Your blog was very informative. Do you know if Cuba has warning systems in place for these tropical storms?

    ReplyDelete

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