Art by Samantha Dunn

Recent natural disasters in Hawaii, Morocco and Libya, among others, have had a significant impact on communities around the world. During the months of August and Sept, the northern African countries Morocco and Libya both experienced earthquakes and flash floods. Meanwhile, the state of Hawaii has faced devastating wildfires. 

These events have caused displacement, death, injury and loss of property, among other things, potentially leaving long-lasting economic and social effects on these communities.

In early August,  the island of Maui in Hawaii experienced rapidly-spreading wildfires resulting in extensive damage to the island. These wildfires mainly affected the area of Lahaina. Within a matter of hours, residents’ homes and businesses were destroyed. While some residents began to evacuate, many remained in Lahaina, as they hadn’t received a notice of evacuation. The wildfires have not only directly impacted local communities, but have also affected those with relatives on the islands. 

Freshman Maelynn Pai shared the impact the wildfires have caused in her life

 “When I first heard about it, it scared me. I was in fear for the ones I loved so I couldn’t really do anything but keep up to date with the news and just keep up with them and how they were doing,” Pai said. “Honestly I was just really surprised initially with the fires… It’s just caused me to be more worried because I know that I’m not able to actively talk to them that often, you know, to see how they’re doing.” 

The wildfires not only affected locals but also tourists. After directly experiencing the wildfire, art teacher Breanna Gill, who arrived in Lahaina on the day the fire began, explained how she felt in the moment. 

“It’s not an easy thing to be staring at a wall of fire and having to move through it,” she said. “It was scary. It was a very scary experience. We were more concerned about the people around us, though, and if they were going to make it… so we were very fortunate to be where we were at the time. Other folks were less fortunate, and it still kind of haunts me a little bit.” 

Gill said she learned an important lesson from this event. 

“Definitely look at the weather report before you go some place for vacation…. I definitely appreciate my family members and think about them and make sure that we say we love each other before we go anywhere because you just don’t know how long you have.”

It is clear that Maui remains in the hearts of many. Business math teacher Kirsten Kish shared her initial thoughts on Maui after having visited in the past, stating  “Maui is a beautiful island; each island was a little different and so Maui was the one we were told to go to first and loved it, and then now i’m sure it would be devastating to see Lahaina, but I will definitely go back because Ohana is their word for family and I feel like the islands are my family.” 

On the other side of the world, Africa has faced a series of natural disasters. On Sept.  8, 2023, Morocco faced a devastating, magnitude 6.8 earthquake which greatly affected numerous mountain villages. Following the earthquake, neighboring countries also reported feeling it. In the mountains and valleys falling debris and damaged buildings were a main concern. Thousands were reported dead and others missing. Survivors who were in hard to reach areas were unable to receive aid for several days, leaving them without access to essential resources. Due to these conditions, this earthquake is the deadliest the country has faced since the 1960s. 

Just two days later, on Sept. 20, Libya’s eastern city Derna was hit by Storm Daniel, leaving the city unrecognizable. As the storm intensified, two dams collapsed, leaving Derna inundated by floodwaters. Homes, businesses and  entire families were washed away into the sea, leaving behind a path of destruction.

These tragedies impacted the lives of many individuals and communities, who must now find the strength to navigate through their new reality. In recent years, the frequency and severity of natural disasters has increased, climate experts believe that this increase in natural disasters is linked to climate change. This has led people to take action and address the root causes of climate change.