Can we Handle a Hurricane on Top of a Virus in 2020?

"Knowledge is the antidote to fear." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Island Matters

10/4/2020

What will we do if there is a hurricane this summer or fall? According to the CDC, the "second peak" of the Coronavirus could hit right in the middle of the Texas hurricane season. How does evacuation fit with shelter in place? How do grocery stores react? How will our governments react? How will we respond?

Unfortunately, this isn't just theoretical. According to a Washington Post story, anomalies in the Gulf of Mexico are similar to those in 2017 (the year of hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria). Our hands are full dealing with the virus right now, but on the island, we cannot ignore the weather.

Island Matters checked with on our local grocery stores and city government officials. How would a hurricane on top of a pandemic affect the supply chain? How would evacuation work with "shelter in place?" How do they predict with the public would react to the second wave of crisis? Can we handle two emergencies at once?

It took the island four years to recover economically from Dolly. How long would it take to recover from a hurricane on top of a pandemic?

Although we have yet to face another hurricane like Dolly, it doesn't hurt to make plans. According to Nikki Soto, the Public Information Officer for the City of South Padre Island, since we've survived a couple of hurricanes free from harm, "It depends on the storm and if there was a voluntary or mandatory evacuation needed. This would need to be addressed to the local grocery stores since they organize their supply and demand."

From his experience, Mr. Sanchez, the manager at the Blue Marlin, says, "It's a little hard to predict what would happen because usually when there's a hurricane, people pick up and leave. I remember during Hurricane Dolly people came in and bought lots of things. Shelves were empty, but during that time people stayed here,"

When asked about the possibility of two national emergencies, Sanchez quaked at the thought and replied, "I don't even know. I don't want to think about it." Neither did H-E-B because they had no comment on that question.

Soto responded to concerns assuring that, "South Padre Island is no stranger to weather-related events. While we hope that we do not see both emergencies at the same time, there is time to prepare for hurricanes. There are many factors with every storm, and, depending on the severity of any storm, the City would plan appropriately to respond."

Soto urges residents to do their part by sheltering in place. "If everyone does their part now and shelters in place, we would not see both emergencies at the same time."

Though the possibility of both emergencies occurring small, it is real. The City advises us to prepare for this upcoming hurricane season using the two links below.