Hurricanes

  "Help! Help! Run! Run!" A typical panic scream from the victims of hurricanes. Hurricane is a storm system characterized by a low-pressure center surrounded by a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain.
  The conditions for a hurricane to form are; water temperatures of at least twenty-six point five degrees Celsius and must have a depth of at least fifty meters. Waters of this temperature cause the overlying atmosphere to be unstable enough to sustain convection and thunderstorms. If the conditions are met, hurricanes are triggered when strong clusters of thunderstorms drift over warm ocean waters, and therefore causing destruction.
  The destructive power is determined by the speed of the hurricane and the speed is characterized from categories ranging from one to five. In category one, hurricanes have wind speeds of seventy-four to ninety-five miles per hour. As it moves up the category, the wind speed increases. In category five, hurricanes have wind speeds of one hundred and fifty-five miles per hour onwards! It swirls as fast as lightning and wreck havoc. Besides, any hurricane with a speed of more than three hundred miles er hour are called "retired" because it wil eventually die out.
  A hurricane can be destructive for it can cause heavy rains, large winds and huge waves in the sea to occur. This means it can destroy fleets of cars, rows of houses and even entire cities! In addition, hurricanes will severely erode seashores, causing cliff collapses and other problems. The worst case of a hurricane is that a storm surge, or the increase in sea level due to cyclones, causing flood in the city, like in the movie "Sinking of Japan".
  Although hurricanes cannot be prevented, we can prepare for them. A typical preparation for an incoming hurricane is to move to an underground shelter or emergency shelter if the former is not available. Also stock up on provinces enough to sustain for a few weeks, such as canned foods, frozen fish or foods which can be preserved for a long time. Constantly check the food stock has not expired, and also stay alert on any updates weather reports. Early health insurance coverage will be of a tremendous help in times of emergency. Lastly, no matter how bad the situation may be, always hope for the best, prepare for the worst so that we will be psychologically and mentally prepared. 
  The aftermath of a hurricane can be unbearable. It even costs an arm and a leg to rebuild the city. However look on the bright side, because the efforts of rebuilding brings the community closer as families work together to clean up the mess that the hurricane had caused.
  Despite the unbearable aftermath of a hurricane, its presence actually brings about many advantages to mankind. It brings severe droughts to an end, bringing joy to the farmers for it helps them to yield more crops because every cloud has a silver lining.
  In conclusion, the hurricane is not only a foe, but can be a friend.  



  Written by Neoh Zhi Wen 
  From Sri Kuala Lumpur International School