This hurricane season has proved to be one with effects more far-reaching than simply the coastal states. The latest of causes is that of Hurricane Ike. The size of Ike is what made it one of the more powerful storms we have seen this season. Ike was measured to be 70% larger than the average hurricane, causing evacuations issued for coastal areas, especially around the Houston metro area. Texas issued evacuation orders for counties in a staggered order, which helped to avoid traffic jams on the interstates and highways away from the coast.

Unfortunately, many of these warnings were ignored by residents. Some cited doomsday predictions by weathermen, while others claimed that Hurricane Rita had the same predictions but failed to produce results. Now that the storm has passed, many are seeing the damage caused by this storm. Currently, over 2,000 people have been rescued by workers and many more await aid; the death toll has reached 28. This is considered by many to be the biggest search and rescue operation in the history of Texas. In addition, electricity has been down in mostly eastern parts of the state, and power surges were felt as far north as Dallas.

This coastal area is crucial to the nation’s industrial fields as well. Over ten of the nation’s oil refineries are reporting damage, although cost and extent is unknown. However, now that the storm has passed, the price of crude oil per barrel has dropped below $92. The various industries of southern Texas have also weathered the storm better than expected. Texas is the home to various companies and manufacturing facilities, such as Sherwin Alumnia Co. and DuPont. Most of these facilities are expected to reopen on Monday.

As noticed by many, the storm damage is not isolated to Texas. As the storm made landfall, it was still considered a tropical depression throughout the Midwest. Many of the hurricane deaths occurred in states like Ohio, Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri due to flash flooding and high winds. The danger is not over, as many in these areas are still affected by flood warnings.

I have spoken with those that have seen the damage first hand. My parents have been in both the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. They spoke of how well organized (despite the hectic pace) the region left behind by Hurricane Ike is, how quick the rescue response has been to this area, and how many citizens (whether they are residents in the northern regions or are evacuees) are taking an active role in the cleanup process. Hopefully these improvements show that we have learned from past experiences, such as that of Katrina. The death toll could have been catastrophic if precautions were not taken.

It is crucial to remember that the hurricane season is not yet over. Hurricane Ike has shown us that the effects of the storm can be far-reaching. The cleanup process is just truly getting started. Currently the weather service is watching out for what could be the next threat: disorganized shower activity east of the Caribbean accompanied by high winds.