Ida and its effect on the community did not go unnoticed when it passed through many areas in the Northeast. The storm damaged many properties, trees and vehicles with not just heavy winds, but also the downpour from the rain. Not only did the storm turned roadways into streams overnight, but also left peoples basements flooded and vehicles trapped.
Many people that were in the path of this storm thought of their friends and family. Alec Khmelnitski, junior accounting major, said, “I was worried, hopefully my friends were okay.”
The uncertainty of not knowing the condition of his friends and family made him feel unsettled during the situation.
Khmelnitski said how this storm made him think differently about storms now as he likes to check up on his relatives to make sure they’re safe during one. “I was just calling my relatives the other day and seeing if they were alright,” he said. “That’s how I was just checking in to see if everyone was safe during that big storm we had.”
For others, the effect of the storm was not as great. Amy Persichetti, chair and associate professor of writing and narrative arts at Cabrini, talked about her family and emotions they felt. “We were also relieved that we weren’t directly affected, it was a lot better than we thought it would be,” Persichetti said.
She brought up her husband and how it was hard for her the next morning having to worry about him driving in to work. “The next day it was nerve wracking cause my husband worked in Wilmington, Delaware, and I was nervous about him,” Persichetti said.
College classes across the region got cancelled because of the storm. Charles Jun, senior political science major, was one of those students. He said, “We were dismissed early because the storm was really bad.” The storm affected him by making him annoyed about the weather because the bad rain and wind isn’t what he likes. He prefers a little bit of rain but not when its pouring, windy and puddles begin forming.
It took a toll on many of those who were hit the hardest by this storm. The damage done caused many to lose their homes, vehicles and other valuables.
Tornadoes and hurricanes are not common in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey areas. It was a surprise to many to see disaster and chaos like that done in those areas.
Businesses and roads were destroyed from flooding. Many roads have been shut down causing people to use detours more often than not. The affects of this are crucial to those that take the same roads to work or school as it causes a navigation conflict to force people to use alternative routes.
Millions of dollars worth of damage was left behind and lives have been changed. Recovery from this storm is just beginning and there’s plenty of it yet to take place.
Education for students in all grades was disrupted. Students that went back to in-person learning lost valuable time of their education. Virtual learning for students is a priority again as the recovery process begins. Only time will tell how long of a recovery it will be.
