A tropical cyclone, a disturbance in the atmosphere that is a circular shape and is a few hundred miles in diameter, a hurricane, steered by global winds, is capable of destroying cities and killing hundreds.

    Hitting the northern Gulf Coast of Florida with a category 4, Hurricane Michael has devastated hundreds early Oct. 10. This is the third most powerful hit to the U.S.

Hurricanes are an intense low pressure that form over warm ocean waters in the summer and early fall. The source of energy is water vapor which evaporates and is used as fuel from the ocean’s surface to carry the tropical storms to the mainlands.
    In Florida, winds rose to 140 mph where Kansas winds average up to 30 mph on a nice day. Category 4 hurricanes mean catastrophic damage to property, humans and animals. This also includes long term power outages and water shortages that can last a few weeks, to a few months.

Despite urgent warnings to evacuate, 320,000 did not and Michael killed at least 17 people and left 280 missing. In Florida, high winds and unpredictable weather is expected, but Micheal was the hardest hit ever recorded in the region.

The most recent devastating hurricane, Maria left the island of Puerto Rico defenseless against a category 4 hurricane in 2017. Back in 2012, Hurricane Katrina left three states submerged in water and killed 1,700 people along the Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Michael destroyed anywhere from 2-10 billion dollars worth of damage and houses continue to slide due to the uneven surfaces.

“My heart is racing. I have never, George, seen something like an entire home, a well-built home, rolling down the street,” ABC News’ Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee said to ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos.

Zee, during the hurricane, was right in the middle of the storm when Michael made it to land saying this was something she had never seen before.

Students also comment on the tragedy that happened to the people of Florida and how this as a whole, sends a ripple through the country.

“Most hurricanes did the same just like Katrina in New Orleans, Harvey in Houston, the impact that it brought, it was very hard. I think a lot of people need to worry about it. Houses destroyed, jobs lost, cars destroyed, people stuck, I just think that help not just from the National Guard, but help period,” Freshman Jaylen Washington said.

It is very difficult for people who haven’t experienced a hurricane this drastic but offer support and advice that the government should consider when natural disasters should occur.

“Besides evacuation, I feel that people in high risk area should always have a backup plan, some sort of shelter and I think the government should be in charge of making sure that there is enough proper shelters for the population in those areas,” Sophomore Cole Herring said.

If Kansans were to magically get hit by a hurricane, no one would be able to respond with organization because obviously we couldn’t really get them, but compared to Florida, their evacuation process was of a timely and organized manner.

“Kansas would have a hard time responding to a hurricane just because we’re ill equipped for those kinds of things. When we think of natural disasters, we think of tornados so we have cellars, cement bathrooms and closets that we can take shelter in. If a hurricane were to hit Kansas, we would be majorly screwed,” Herring said.