Sweeping across the area of Houston, Texas weeks ago, Hurricane Harvey is a natural disaster that is still having severe negative impacts on residents.

In the history of natural disasters, Hurricane Harvey comes second only to Hurricane Katrina. Damage reports of Hurricane Harvey are set at one hundred eighty billion dollars and still climbing.

On September first, the flood levels were at their highest, covering one-third of Houston land. Families were washed from their homes, but are now returning to ruined belongings.

Flooding from Hurricane Harvey knocked out power at the Arkema facility, which caught fire at the chemical plant on August 31. Arkema had a second explosion because chemicals in inventory could not be kept at appropriate temperatures.

For the small island, Barbuda, located in the Caribbean, Hurricane Irma was its worst nightmare. Irma changed the lives of everyone living in Barbuda; the storm that wiped out ninety-five percent of the landscapes and structures. In a report to USA Today, News Ambassador, Ronald Sanders stated “The damage is complete. For the first time in three hundred years, there is not a single living person on the island of Barbuda.”

In Highlands County, Florida, Hurricane Irma left the county without power. The days after Hurricane Irma have been full of anguish. Being at the end of summer and at the break of fall, Florida’s weather is not only hot but also humid. The humidity level is nearly at 100 percent while the wind levels are close to none.

Our hearts here at Southeastern were physically and emotionally affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma because several students’ families and homes were damaged in the wake of these storms.

There is a saying from people who have endured disasters before. “It’s not about surviving the hurricane. It’s about surviving after the hurricane.”