Molly Molthan- Hurricane Harvey Aftermath

Molly Molthan- 9/3

http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/03/us/houston-texas-flood-aftermath/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/01/politics/environmental-regulation-hurricane-harvey-houston/index.html

Hurricane Harvey was one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, and now we are facing the long road to recovery. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, at least 13 toxic waste sites were flooded from Harvey. This is a dangerous threat to the environment because the land is now contaminated with hazardous waste, and will take weeks for workers to safely access the site and start the cleanup. There are many chemical power plants and fossil fuel operations located in Houston which have all suffered damage from the flooding. On Thursday, September 1st, Arkema chemical manufacturing and storage facility burst in to flames. The cause of this explosion was because the flooding broke down equipment that was meant to keep the plant cool, and instead it caught on fire. All people living a mile away from the plant had a mandatory evacuation, and fifteen deputies were taken to the hospital for inhaling the chemicals. Meanwhile, more than nine thousand people were taken from their homes and are trapped in the Houston Convention Center. The amount of people in the convention center have been decreasing since last Friday, but many people are left without a home.

Hurricane Harvey has made a large impact on the U.S. and is going down in history as the costliest natural disaster in our country. This past week our country has come together to support those who were effected by Hurricane Harvey by donating survival supplies, clothes, and food to the people who have lost their homes in this terrible tragedy. The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey is going to be a bumpy road to recovery, but our country will come together to support and help Houston be a home again.