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Mo News: Calculating Hurricane Ian's Cost
Mosheh Oinounou
September 30, 2022
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Hi everyone,
As we begin this weekend, our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Florida coping with the devastation from Hurricane Ian. That story leads our newsletter this today:
Entire neighborhoods in Florida are now under water - as first responders try to desperately reach stranded residents across the region; Officials are fearful of a death toll in the hundreds;
Early estimates are that Ian could have caused upwards of $65 billion in damage--more than Hurricane Andrew;
The storm is gathering strength again and set to make a second landfall today, potentially bringing catastrophic flooding to Georgia, Virginia and the Carolinas;
Vladimir Putin will be annexing 4 Ukrainian regions Friday--the largest land grab in Europe since WWII;
For the first time, the U.S. has named a special diplomat for plants and animals;
North Korea flexes its muscles with new missile tests as VP Harris visits;
The FDA's new definition of "healthy"
Why stress could actually be good for you;
And as always, what we're watching, eating, and reading this weekend.
⛈ HURRICANE IAN'S IRE
We are getting our first look at the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, which made landfall Wednesday afternoon as one of the strongest storms to ever hit the U.S. The death toll is feared to be in the hundreds with many more still in need of rescue. Officials fear the damage is so extensive it could take several years for parts of southwest Florida to rebuild.
Aerial view of Hurricane Ian's damage in Fort Myers Beach, FL | Getty Images
And, Ian is not done yet. After being downgraded to a Tropical Storm following landfall in Florida, Ian has regained Category 1 hurricane strength over the Atlantic. It is expected to make a second landfall this afternoon between Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina.
National Weather Service
"Take this storm seriously... stay home." The Charleston, SC mayor is urging his city to shut down today as Ian approaches. No evacuations have been ordered.Forecasters warn several feet of ocean water could surge into lower areas along the coast.
Just how big is the storm? This part of Florida is no stranger to major storms. It survived Hurricane Charley in 2004 - one of the worst hurricanes in state history... but that pales in comparison to the size of Hurricane Ian. According to the National Weather Service, Ian had hurricane-force winds spanning 90 miles, and tropical-storm-force winds spanning 350 miles. Charley’s hurricane-force winds extended 50 miles, with 170 miles of tropical-storm-force winds. This is what it looked like from space:
Aftermath in Florida: Residents are picking up the pieces after Hurricane Ian tore through the state with sustained, extreme winds and upwards of 18 feet of storm surge in some areas that tossed boats, cars and homes around.
Death toll: It’s not immediately clear how many fatalities Ian has caused throughout Florida. At least 12 people are confirmed dead as of Thursday night, but officials fear the death toll could go up significantly once they reach all the neighborhoods currently cut off. Rescue teams are fighting waist-deep water to save those trapped by the floods… and while first responders are scrambling to respond to thousands of 911 calls, many roads and bridges remain impassable.Officials fear the death toll could climb significantly. "This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida history," Biden said after a briefing at FEMA emergency management headquarters in Washington.
Severe flooding: Heavy rainfall pummeled both of the state’s coasts. Even after hurricanes lose strength while moving across land, they can bring heavy rain which can overwhelm drainage systems and cause flooding. ~ USA Today
People in Orlando, FL canoe and paddle board on a flooded street in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian | Getty Images
Storm surge: The National Hurricane Center said a storm surge of 12 to 18 feet and powerful waves struck the southwest coast.
It left entire neighborhoods underwater – and anything still standing is in ruins. Homes and businesses were ripped from the ground and left shredded as piles of wreckage.
“We’ve never seen storm surge of this magnitude,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told a news conference. “The amount of water that’s been rising, and will likely continue to rise today even as the storm is passing, is basically a 500-year flooding event.”At least four sections of the Sanibel Causeway collapsed into the sea during the storm, cutting off the only bridge to Sanibel Island, a barrier island where 6,300 people live.
Sanibel Island Causeway before Hurricane Ian | Getty Images
Officials in Naples say half of the roads are blocked by debris, and not passable.
Power outages: Even as the sun came up yesterday morning, more than 2.67 million Floridians were still in the dark. Ian's 150-mph winds (just shy of a Category 5) wiped out power across the state.Governor DeSantis said two of the hardest-hit counties, Lee and Charlotte, were completely off the grid.
Downed power lines burst into flames. Officials say it could be weeks before power is fully restored to some areas.
Damage and destruction: While it's still too early to thoroughly assess the damages caused by Hurricane Ian, officials say it could take years - and tens of billions of dollars - to rebuild this part of the state.
Moody's on Thursday said it anticipates about $45 billion to $55 billion in damage and $7 billion to $10 billion in lost output in Florida alone. For perspective, Hurricane Andrew caused about $56 billion in damage and rebuilding took a decade in some areas.
Another estimate by RMSI put the estimated total cost at $65 billion--which would put it at #6 on the list of costliest hurricanes ever.
USA Today
Potential food inflation impact: Ian threatens to deal a catastrophic blow to Florida orange growers already reeling from a disease called citrus greening, which damages fruit and eventually kills trees. The storm’s destruction is the latest boost to orange prices that have soared 36% this year on tight global supplies. While Ian’s winds have certainly knocked fruit to the ground, tree damage is the biggest concern, according to Everstream Analytics. Once trees are damaged, production can be hurt for years. Florida was already set fall behind California as the largest orange-producing state. ~BloombergThis is also a key fertilizer producing part of the state that exports to other parts of the country.
Shocking before and after pictures show the sheer scale of the destruction across the state of Florida.
Here are some resources to help Hurricane Ian's victims. 🙏🏼
🗞 THE SPEED READ
President Vladimir Putin will sign agreements on Friday for the Russian Federation to take over four Ukrainian territories, the Kremlin said on Thursday, outlining plans to annex the regions after referendums that were widely denounced as a sham. State media described it as preparations for a rally and concert “in support of the outcome of the referendums.”
The annexation move has been greeted with international condemnation, and Ukraine has essentially ignored the Kremlin’s plans. Russian officials have spoken of defending their claims to the annexed territory by any means, a hint at the potential use of nuclear weapons.
In a show of defiance, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after Vice President Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea during which she traveled to the Demilitarized Zone. It was the third round of missile launches by North Korea this week, extending a record pace in weapons testing as it accelerates a push to expand its arsenal and pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power. There are concerns that North Korea may soon conduct a nuclear test.
In a first, U.S. appoints a diplomat for plants and animals (Washington Post)
As temperatures rise and habitats shrink, hundreds of thousands of plant and animal species around the world are at risk of vanishing. For the first time, the United States is designating a special diplomat to advocate for global biodiversity amid what policymakers increasingly recognize as an extinction crisis. Monica Medina is taking on a new role as special envoy for biodiversity and water resources, the State Department announced Wednesday.
47% of U.S. adults say they have "a great deal" or "a fair amount" of trust in the judicial branch (headed by the Supreme Court). This represents a 20-percentage-point drop from two years ago. When asked specifically about the Supreme Court, the Gallup poll finds a record-tying-low 40% of Americans say they approve of the job it is doing while a record-high 58% say they disapprove.
The FDA is poised to add new restrictions to the use of the term "healthy" on food products. Under the current rule, about 5% of packaged foods are labeled as "healthy," according to the FDA.
More than 80% of U.S. residents "aren’t eating enough vegetables, fruit and dairy," while "most people consume too much added sugars, saturated fat and sodium," the FDA said. The new rule would require that "healthy" foods: 1. "Contain a certain meaningful amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups," such as fruits, vegetables and dairy. 2. Contain limited amounts of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.
Although stress plays a role in the onset of a number of health issues, a new study finds it may also protect the body in certain circumstances. Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine say the immune system can actually benefit from a little stress. Studies have found that psychological stress can exacerbate symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Intestinal tertiary lymphoid organs (TLOs), which are immune cells that form in response to chronic inflammation or injury, also have a link to severe inflammation. “What we discovered is that chronic daily stress for six weeks was beneficial against a second injury. The [subjects] that were stressed were actually protected,” Cominelli continues. “We showed they had stimulation of the immune system, which protects against intestinal inflammation. What needs to be studied is whether this may translate to other diseases and injuries.”
🎉 CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN' WEEKEND
What We're Watching: After almost 30 years, the Sanderson sisters are making their return! Hocus Pocus 2 hits Disney+ this weekend 🧙🏼♀️🎃
What We're Reading: The Link Between Hurricanes and Climate Change is Complicated (Atlantic)
What We're Eating: McDonald's new happy meals - for adults - complete with a free toy. 🍟
[Top Banner Photo Credit: Getty Images]
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