Monday, November 11, 2013

Zombie Apocalypse

The numbers are astonishing.  Sustained wind speed of 195 mph, with gusts to 235 mph.  Perhaps 10,000 people dead, more than half a million displaced,  9.5 million people affected in the Philippines.  But Haiyan is not done.  Though greatly weakened, it still hits Vietnam with winds of 85 mph and will likely cause flooding and other damage in China.

We don't hear much about storms in this part of the world, but this has been an active season, causing a lot of damage and chaos.  This superstorm got attention for not only the immense impact but for what it might portend.  Where the storm hit full force it caused immense catastrophe with these insanely powerful winds and storm surges, and the resulting chaos.  Now the challenge is to bring relief and medical care to these utterly devastated places.

A storm almost as powerful as this one (165 mph winds) hit the Phillippines just last year.  During a climate crisis conferences the Phillippines delegate made an impassioned plea for action, citing that storm as highly unusual.  But this was an even worse storm with greater consequences.  Is this the real zombie apocalypse? And are we all the real zombies?

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