The Unforgettable Experience of Natural Catastrophe
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Some of you might remember the horrendous hurricane Irma, which devastated the Caribbean Islands and left a path of destruction over the state of Florida in the fall of 2017.
I got to witness it…
Here is how it happened…
“You have to evacuate,” was blasting from all the major TV channels, when the media was painting the darkest pictures of the upcoming hurricane of category 5, called Irma, which was quickly approaching Florida. Beware of the ferocious hurricane, dramatically called Irmagedon, was the warning from everywhere.
According to the media reports, that was supposed to be the biggest and the most destructive hurricane in the history. People were panicking, uncontrollably buying food and water, leaving the empty shells in the major markets at 9 am; filling up gas tanks, making the queues of three to four blocks. Key West, Florida Keys, and Miami were cities in chaos.
I happened to be in Miami during this time, staying over at my friend’s apartment. My friends were making fun of me, saying I picked the worst time ever to come back Miami (I used to live there).
I would jokingly respond that I was in the search of adventure. And that was quite an adventure that I would not agree to experience again.
However, prior to the beginning of the hurricane, I was a bit skeptical about the magnitude and the pressing significance of the consequences. Media is always exaggerating, finding the worst pictures possible and blowing them to enormous proportions in order to create a sensation. So, I was filtering the drama with common sense and calm attitude. I was on the 22 floor in a building that survived not one hurricane.
I would be fine I thought. And I was. Except, I wasn’t. I did survive, but some of the pictures will stay with me forever.
The announcement of the quickly approaching hurricane, which was sweeping everything on her path on the Caribbean Islands, causing major flooding and tearing down trees, constructions, and buildings was made on Tuesday, September the 5th 2017. The news reports were disturbing, I must say.. But it was a gradual effect. The media initially was adding fuel to people’s panic, blowing the facts.
