Ms Hurricane Harvey checked into Houston, Texas some weeks ago, though uninvited but expected and left in her wake 72 dead, homes devastated, lives shattered and millions without water, power and supply.
Sitting down in an armchair at the safety and comfort of your home watching it on any of the networks is nothing compared to what actually happened. But for regular folks to be able to wrap their mind around this humanitarian crisis, they may need to cast their mind to “omiyale”-a disastrous flood that almost obliterate the city of Ibadan. That ‘omiyale’ flood , is what Texas’ intricate but massive sewage system will lap up today and still be thirsty!
What however hit Texas was much more than that.A meteorologist's calculations put it succinctly in that one of Hurricane Harvey's worst-hit counties estimated that nearly 1 trillion gallons of water fell over Harris County in four days. And do not forget that this was assisted with a 120 mph wind!
That's roughly the same amount of water it takes Niagara Falls, and the gorge, about 15 days to process, according to Jeff Lindner, a meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District.
Science saw it first, thereby giving human a week to tirelessly prepare for an unwanted visitor coming with excess luggage of fury. Who are you to close your door when mother nature visits? The catastrophe was only limited by hasty evacuation, alternative shelter arrangements and deployment of service men and women trained or have a heart for search and rescue missions.
It took the consistent barrage of criticism of hurricane proportion to have the man of God, Joel Osteen opened up the sanctity of the sanctuary of the church that we thought was His to displaced and distressed Americans. In defense, the man of God claimed he was not given enough notice. He can be excused; just like other men of God, no prophet saw it coming! Only meteorologists.
In the coming weeks and probably months, we may have to rely on the study and meticulous scientific investigations to unravel how we have inadvertently contributed to this disaster by our negligence of climatic demands and requirements. Taking care of the environment may not totally stop mother nature from occasionally reminding us of our frailties as human, but it will at least mitigate the ferociousness of her visit.
Interestingly and within 72 hours of this calamitous attacks, supply has been streaming in from purely humanitarian sources and power Is being restored to most areas as evacuees return home to salvage what is left behind either as history, habitation or lesson.
Contrarily, Africa has continue to pride our exclusion from the list of continents prone to such brutal climatic extremes on her addiction to prayers and self inflicted righteousness. And in religion permanent bickering with science, we must know whose corner we want to be as that may end up determining our lot in life.
Or is our Armageddon already upon us?
