Welcome back to Disaster Discourse Monthly!
Welcome back to Disaster Discourse Monthly. This month, we offer updates regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, a discussion of unemployment during COVID-19, and provide information on storms and storm-related disasters that affected different areas of the United States (US) as we enter hurricane season.
COVID-19 Pandemic…
As of Wednesday, May 27, the US hit a grim milestone of the number of COVID-19 associated deaths exceeding 100,000. As we enter the 5th month since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the US, states are slowly starting to ease stay at home orders in an effort to open up some businesses and ease restrictions. There are currently over 100 vaccines in the pipeline to try and treat the virus.
Unemployment continues to affect the economy…
Unemployment continues to rise throughout the US, despite the gradual reopening of business across the country. Currently, it is estimated that 1 in 4 Americans are unemployed. This is the highest number of unemployed Americans since the Great Depression, with the current unemployment rate reported at 14.7 percent.
Storms cause two dams to breach in Michigan…
On Tuesday, May 19 after days of heavy, historic rainfall, two dams–the Edenville Dam and the Sanford Dam–collapsed in central Michigan forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. In 2018, the Edensville Dam’s license was suspended due to longstanding failures to increase the dam’s spillway capacity so it could safely pass flood flows. Flooding has misplaced many residents and has submerged single-story homes over their doorways.
Hurricanes…
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an above normal 2020 hurricane season with two named storms, Arthur and Bertha, already occurring in May. This is the 6th time since 1900 that two named storms have occurred before the official start of hurricane season. Eastern States and Gulf coastal communities are facing an above-average hurricane season, with an expected 16 named storms and at least one major landfall.
Thanks for reading. We’ll see you next month and stay healthy!