Lauren Lantry, lauren.lantry@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- From the Florida panhandle, through Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas, people are dealing with the destruction from Hurricane Michael just weeks after Hurricane Florence tore through the Carolinas. Never before has a Category 4 hurricane made landfall in the continental U.S. in October. Hurricane Michael has left at least sixteen people dead and more than 1.1 million homes without electricity -- with Panama City, Mexico Beach and the Florida panhandle area taking on the brunt of the storm.
The storm made landfall just days after a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) pointed to the relationship between stronger storms like Hurricane Michael and climate disruption. Data have shown that the damage caused by hurricanes like Florence, Maria and Michael can be exacerbated by warmer ocean temperatures caused by climate change and the associated sea level rise.
In response, Sierra Club Florida Chapter Director Frank Jackalone released the following statement:
“Our thoughts go out to the people here in Florida, and in Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods in the devastation of Hurricane Michael. Our gratitude goes out to the first responders who are risking their safety to help others.
"The destruction left by Michael’s record-breaking winds and storm surge in towns like Mexico Beach and Panama City is incredibly jarring, and the devastating destruction of this storm will be felt for weeks and years to come. And, as with many other recent and deadly storms, it has hit the most vulnerable communities the hardest. We need to help ensure a just and equitable recovery that leaves no one behind, ensuring that everything is done to protect families and communities from future disasters.
"As we brace for the next hurricane or superstorm, we cannot forget the victims of Michael and we must not become numb to the startling frequency with which stronger and deadlier storms are hitting our communities. Hurricane Michael is a brutal reminder of how quickly we need to act to prepare our communities for stronger storms and work to curb the climate crisis and sea level rise that is fueling them. In fact, Michael made landfall just days after the release of the stunning UN report on climate change that says even more catastrophic effects will occur in our lifetimes if we do not act, and act now. We need to invest in clean energy that cuts climate pollution, not dirty fossil fuels. And we need to support leaders and elected officials who understand that dire need for action, not those who ignore it."
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.