Have you ever experienced a Hurricane?

@wenjule (107)
Jamaica
November 29, 2009 12:14pm CST
I have and the experience had my nerves on the edge. Luckily for us we did not suffer any major damages both in Ivan and Dean. To hear that howling wind outside and hear pieces of our neighbour's roofs tearing off or to see the fruit trees in and around the yard snapping like twigs and watch pieces of zinc flying in all direction it was the most fascinating and frightening sight. It is at times like these when you realise how vulnerable you are because there is nothing you can do about a Hurricane than ride it out and hope you survive. At least we get ample time to prepare but even as we are prepared, we can never be fully ready for the unslaut of nature's fury. One of my neighbours was not so lucky. She died as a result of injuries sustained during Hurricane Ivan when roofing materials from a house next door came crashing through her living room window hitting her in the chest. She did not last a day. The question is, can we ever be ready? What was your experience like if you have experienced a Hurricane?
12 responses
• Southend-On-Sea, England
29 Nov 09
Yes, in 1987 there was a hurricane in the south-east part of the UK. It happened at night and caused a lot of damage, plus made a lot of noise. The following morning, all the trees outside had been blown down, some people's cars had been blown over, houses had lost their roofs and all the power lines were down. Food couldn't be delivered to shops as the roads were unpassable due to fallen trees. The next hurricane was in February 1990 and I was trying to get home from work by train. All the overhead cables had blown down and I had to wait with some other people outside a station for a bus to pick us up. While we were waiting for the bus, it was scary. There were no other people around...no doubt everybody was indoors....and there were things being blown around, flying through the air, like chimneys off of buildings, bits of people's roofs, generalised flying masonry. Though for the UK those two hurricanes were unusual and (for us) severe (I think overall the 1987 one was worse), I'm sure they were nowhere near as bad as those in the USA.
@wenjule (107)
• Jamaica
30 Nov 09
That must have been an unforgetable experience but it is really unusual though for the UK to experience storms. The most I will hear about the UK is flooding. Remember too that the houses in the UK are more solidly built than the ones in the USA. Sad to say the USA has really had some massive destruction in the last few years.
• United States
29 Nov 09
you guys are lucky in the philippines there is a minimum of 20-25 typhoons every year
@wenjule (107)
• Jamaica
30 Nov 09
Sometime we do up to that number GFP but thank God it is not worse.
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
29 Nov 09
they do on ocaision survive this far north as full blown hurricaines. I remember back in the early 80's hurricane Gloria slammed in to the conneticut coast and kept right on going. It was still a qualified hurricane as close to me as under a hundred miles. I also remember Hugo got up this way, we had a lot of damage in my area from it, lots of power outages, down trees, damaged roofs and blocked roads. Usualy though we don't see much action from them.
@wenjule (107)
• Jamaica
29 Nov 09
We are onguard ever year in the Caribbean as of June to about October. We are getting the Hurricanes so often that we dont bother to take down the barricades from the windows.
• United States
25 Dec 09
No I have never experienced a hurricane. An occasional tornado warning but no hurricanes occur here. I guess that's one benefit to living in an area that doesn't have a body of water beyond a great lake.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
29 Nov 09
I've been through several hurricanes since moving to south Florida. When making preparations for an incoming storm you always have to have more than one plan in mind so that you and your family can be safe. We have three plans, all depending on the strength and the track of the storm. We will either ride it out at home, go to my brother-in-law's business which is located in a concrete block two story building, or load the family and pets in all of our vehicles and stay in a motel someplace where the storm is not going to be. We also have several days worth of food, water and other supplies ready. I'm always glad to see hurrican season end.
@wenjule (107)
• Jamaica
30 Nov 09
Yeah Florida is actually a sitting duck when it comes to Hurricanes. It lies smack in the middle of "Hurricane Alley". Being prepared is the best thing and I endorse the idea of having more than one plans.
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
29 Nov 09
Hurricanes are an inevitable component of living in the tropics and like you I have expereinced both those hurricanes and including the master of them all "Gilbert" not even 'Ivan" the terrible was as awful as Gilbert and believe me trees danced to Gilbert music even more than you would ever witness at any local dance.I was a young teen when Gilbert passed through and was fascinated about the prospect of seein an hurricane but that initial euphoria almost diappeared when I realised that the house where I was staying was in serious risk and might loose it's roof .I remember seeing entire roofs uprooted and sailing through the air only to land in areas far removed from its orignal location. By the time Ivan came I was almost a pro and being much older knew that I should be prepared and less excited .I knew then not to venture out when I saw the initial calm as the wind would come back the other way and soon .I was also completely stacked up with tin food just in case. Whe Dean came I was an hurricane professor but ironically Dean cause less wind damage and more damage to road as it dumped tonnes of water on land but I was still cautions and somewhat worried as you can never tell how much damage an hurrican can cause. No matter how many hurricanes you go through though ,you still never wish to experience another one because of the emotional trauma and I hope I never see another one. Great discussion discussion Wenjule,quite nostalgic
@wenjule (107)
• Jamaica
30 Nov 09
Gilbert was indeed the creme de la creme of the Hurricane we have experienced. It is not a season I look forward to at all. This is the time of the year when the adrenolin is put into overdrive and without realising it you do some things you've never thought possible. You get some supernatural strenght from where I dont know. When it's all over that's when you realise just how tired you really are.
@jpso138 (7851)
• Philippines
30 Nov 09
In our country no hurricanes have ever been recorded. The worst weather disturbance that we encounter are typhoons. However, even if we do not experience any hurricanes, typhoon visit our country at an average of 25 a year and many are always displaced, houses destroyed as well as lives taken.
@moneymommy (3418)
• United States
30 Nov 09
We sat through hurricane Ike but we were not near the shore. This was a pretty scary one. We didn't get much damage but the power was out for a week.
• Boston, Massachusetts
30 Nov 09
Hi Wenjule, That's really scary. i can't imagine myself in such kind of situation and how i am going to reach and handle myself in that situation. In our country, we used to experience heavy rains and typhoons that resulted to floods. That's what i experienced and also earthquake but not hurricane.
• China
30 Nov 09
I just see it on TV.And i know how scareful and powerful whe hurricane was.It's realy lucky you.
@pengyachu (296)
• China
30 Nov 09
Hi,I never see it.It's so crazy.I think i like the hurricane , it's strong.
• Indonesia
30 Nov 09
no, i haven't