A hurricane is a tropical storm with strong winds, heavy rains, and very high tides. The most severe weather is around the eye of the storm, which can be up to thirty miles wide. Hurricanes move slowly and cover areas as wide as four hundred miles. A hurricane can last more than two weeks and can travel up the entire length of the eastern coast. The hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30 with August and September being the peak months. In the United States, approximately five hurricanes make landfall every five years, two of which are major storms. Hurricanes may spawn tornadoes and floods. Unlike tornadoes, whose damage is more concentrated, hurricanes affect entire communities, often with extensive damage. Even though a hurricane is restricted in time and space, there may be secondary losses of food, water, utilities, and health care facilities. Learn more hurricane facts at the
National Weather Service website Hurricane warnings result in heightened anxiety and emotional distress, as people try to figure out when and where the hurricane will hit. Often the fear is contagious, as the community prepares for the storm and people shop frantically for food, water, and emergency supplies, board up their homes, pack up and evacuate, or plan how to meet up with family members in a safe place after the storm.
Evacuation from home and relocation away from family and friends can disturb family support and social networks. Families frequently suffer financial hardships because adults lose their jobs or have to rebuild homes and businesses. Schools and business may close for extensive periods. Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005, displaced 500,000. In the hardest-hit area of Louisiana, employment declined 35% in the immediate aftermath of the storm and flooding.
A hurricane threatens our everyday feelings of safety. Children may see their usually confident parents and caregivers become anxious and fearful. They may lose their homes and cherished pets, memorabilia, and toys. They may see collapsed or damaged buildings—including their schools or familiar community landmarks. They may experience the horror of seeing severely injured people or dead bodies.
Individuals with pre-existing emotional and behavioral problems may get worse if their support systems fail, they run out of medications, and/or their routine destabilizes. Others may develop chronic emotional and behavioral problems having to deal with such stresses as the loss of community infrastructure, home or employment, or family and friends. In addition, emotional and physical exhaustion may impact individuals or families' ability to recover.
Children and adults frequently have traumatic reminders, during which they suddenly reexperience all the emotions, fears, thoughts, and perceptions they experienced at the time of the hurricane. Typical traumatic reminders include hurricane warnings, the sudden onset of dark clouds, bolts of lightning, heavy rains, and strong winds, as well as the activities associated with preparing for a hurricane.
Common emotional reactions of children and families exposed to a hurricane include:
