Diasertous Climates in More Than Few

To say many Americans are within one of the largest disastrous summer weather ordeals would be carelessly redundant.  From Eastern to Midwestern states for three days there has been a round of disasters from power outages, fires, loss of life, and loss of homes with the average temperatures averaging from 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. To add to that there were a round of storms which lead to the loss of power along the east.

Two million residents, from North Carolina to New Jersey and as far west as Illinois were without power Monday morning. Utility officials said the power would likely be out for several more days. Since Friday, severe weather has been blamed for at least 18 deaths, most from trees falling on homes and cars. Some drivers resorted to ingenuity to get to work. On a residential street in suburban Falls Church, Va., just outside Washington, downed trees blocked the road on either side. Enterprising neighbors used chain saws to cut a makeshift path on one side, but the other remained completely blocked by a massive oak tree."They kind of forgot about us out here," resident Eric Nesson said previous to a series of eight class “A” severe storms knocked out power all along the U.S. East Coast over the weekend, forcing many people to seek reprieve from oppressive heat in public spaces like this fountain at Washington Square Park in New York on July 1^st. Storm damaged trees litter the east lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on June 30, 2012. Storms over the weekend knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes in the D.C. area. More than a dozen people were killed as a round of summer storms hit East Coast states. Power outages left many people from North Carolina to New Jersey and as far west as Illinois struggling to cope with high temperatures and spoiling food following powerful weekend storms. Here, two men navigate the darkened hallway of a storm damaged building in Riverdale, Maryland. People survey storm damage in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. on June 30. Power outages caused by downed trees left in the wake of a series of storms left millions without power in several East Coast states. Still, residents took the aggravation with good humor. Posted on the oak tree was a sign saying: "Free firewood you haul." Meanwhile, coast guard officials say they have suspended the search for a man who disappeared early Saturday while boating during the storm off Maryland. Monday, a grocery store employee piled bags of ice for free distribution in Bethesda, Maryland to help community members affected by Friday's storm. On Sunday night in North Carolina, a 77 year old man was killed when strong winds collapsed a Pitt County barn where he was parking an all terrain vehicle. In neighboring Beaufort County, a couple was killed when a tree fell on the golf cart they were driving. Officials said trees fell onto dozens of houses, and two hangars were destroyed at an airport in Beaufort County. The damage was mostly blamed on straight-line winds, which are strong gusts pushed ahead of fast-moving thunderstorms like a wall of wind.  At least six of the dead were killed in Virginia, including a 90 year old lady asleep in her bed when a tree slammed straight into her home. Two young cousins in New Jersey were killed when a tree fell on their tent while camping. Two were killed in Maryland, one in Ohio, one in Kentucky and one in Washington. In West Virginia, authorities said one person died early Sunday when the all terrain vehicle they were riding hit a tree that had fallen over a road.

As for the survivors, it was a challenge to stay cool over the weekend. Atlanta set a record with a high of 104F, while the temperature peeked at 98 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport just outside the nation's capital. With no air conditioning, officials urged residents to check on their elderly relatives and neighbors. It was tough to find a free pump at gas stations that did have power, and lines of cars snaked around fast food drive through.

In conjunction with American utility companies Canada sent help. Power restoration was spotty. Several people interviewed by The Associated Press said they remained without power even though the lights were on at neighbors' homes across the street. In Maryland, Governor O'Malley promised he would push utility companies to get electricity restored as quickly as possible. Aid from across the border was expected from Ontario's Hydro One power utility, which has assisted in the past when natural disasters caused widespread blackouts in America. Sunday, Hydro One announced that about 800 workers would be sent to the Baltimore, Virginia and Washington regions to assist in restoring electricity to affected areas. Hydro One crews have a long standing history of assisting neighboring utilities when help is needed the most, and this time has never had and exception. The Canadian crews already began working on affected areas. Hydro One has a history of providing assistance to U.S. cities following significant power outages. For example, the power utility helped utilities in Vermont in February 2010 after a massive winter storm crippled power, and in 2008, crews helped out in Ohio after Hurricane Ike caused massive blackouts.

Then the fires within the Midwest, specifically Colorado and Utah,  where there has been no end to the devastation due to the dry hot heat which created fires which have never taken so many homes and lives as well. President Obama activated federal funds and declared the situation a Federal Disaster after receiving a call from NORAD and other officials. Here too the entire state of Colorado has seen the desecration of more homes and lives taken by wild fires which could not be contained. Canadian Firefighters from Alberta and Saskatchewan sent in both civilian and military crews to aid. All eight firefighting planes at Colorado Springs' Peterson Air Force Base were put into force making it the first time since NORAD has brought out its military fleet. As Boulder Colorado is the home of the Air Force Academy as well as the largest air force assembly. It marked the first time the entire fleet was activated in four years.

 

"I have never seen such a large area of United States which as been torn by natural disasters."