Hurricane Ian was the first major hurricane that greatly impacted the United States in 2022. The violent winds that the storm produced hit 155mph. On September 26th the storm entered as a category 3 hurricane, leaving 5 people dead as well as a power outage in the entire country of Cuba. On September 28th the coast of Florida was starting to experience a category 4 hurricane that was flooding the coast. On September 30th, the weakened tropical storm turned into a powerful hurricane once again. The new Category 1 storm flooded and ripped through the Carolinas. 

“We saw everything get swept away,” said Christiana Thomasian, an employee that was working at the Lani Kai in Fort Myers beach. Sand covered the roads, people’s businesses were flooded and destroyed, homes were swept away before the owners eyes. “Older homes, that just aren’t as strongly built, they got washed into the sea,” exclaimed Governor Ron DeSantis. Elderly people were hit very hard by the record high hurricane. Most deaths were older people who drowned in their homes. People’s houses were flipped over, their roofs collapsed, and over 100 citizens were found dead after the natural disaster. Gov. DeSantis said that emergency workers had gone door-to-door to the decimated areas to search for any trapped survivors. Just the stronger and taller buildings were standing after the flood but the damage is still in the millions. 

Climate change also played a role in this disaster. The Hurricane was said to pour 10% more rain than usual due to climate change. “In short, the hurricane was wetter than it would have been in a world without climate change,” said Kevin Reed. 

Friends Academy is not staying on the sidelines. The Watch Committee organized a week-long drive for victims of Hurricane Ian. All donations will be given to a charity called “Keller Williams Cares”, a real estate company that is donating and spreading awareness. The Watch Committee gathered Hygienic items, cleaning supplies, emergency supplies, and food. The Food Drive started on October 17, 2022 and ended on October 22, 2022. Hurricane Ian was a harsh and powerful hurricane that swept away Florida and the Carolinas, but that does not stop our nation from recovering, healing and preventing dreadful things like this to happen.