‘Superstorms’ sends scary hurricane warning
The nightmare of three monster hurricanes in 2017 returns with chilling force in “Rise of the Superstorms.”
The “Nova” program, debuting Wednesday on PBS, may unnerve anyone who lived through Harvey, Irma or Maria. But it hints at bigger problems: We may be in an era of climate refugees and greater threats.
Harvey’s intensified winds before landfall stunned Texas, then its rainfall created a slowmotion catastrophe. Despite heroic rescues, the federal relief effort in the Houston area was stretched thin. The extensively developed city, with so much asphalt and concrete, couldn’t cope with the flooding. Dangers in the water ranged from typhoid to viruses to pollutants.
Then Irma devastated Barbuda and other islands. “This storm is so unusual because it stayed strong for so very long,” says CNN’s Chad Myers.
Difficult to track, Irma also confounded forecasters with its storm surge. Hitting Cuba took some strength off Irma, which later left the Keys in shambles before sweeping over the Sunshine State. Especially haunting is an interview with shaken survivor Keith Sigafoose in the Keys.
In the final segment, the program examines the wide devastation and pain after Maria slammed Puerto Rico. Islanders bemoan the lackluster government response, and the program highlights a revised death toll of more than 4,000.
“Rise of the Superstorms” warns that viewers should expect even bigger Atlantic hurricanes because of rising sea levels, warmer oceans and increasing temperatures. The message carries weight because the program is about science, not rehashing political arguments.
“We hope that viewers will come to understand the challenge forecasters and officials have in giving ample warning for citizens to prepare for, and indeed, shelter-in-place or evacuate from an incoming hurricane,” said Liesl Clark, the program’s producer. “With sea surface temperatures now having the potential to be warmer than usual, hurricanes can rapidly intensify.”
We need stronger buildings, better planning and more awareness, the program says. “Nova” educates with stark power and plenty of detail. Any of us could be a climate refugee.