Tropical Storm Emily is on it's way and promises 6-8" of rain and up to 75 mph winds. As I type this, the storm is still several hundred miles off the coast of Hispanola but small drops of rain have started to fall outside.
We should be plenty safe here with our own well for water, generator for electricity, and plenty of food. But I can't help but wonder what 75 mph winds can do to a tent.
This is Onaville. Looking down from a mountain onto one of the largest tent cities in the country... just a few miles away from us.
This is just one of the many tent camps set up around Haiti since the earthquake, they are known as IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps. It is estimated that over 1.5 million people lost their homes in last years devastating earthquake and moved out into these IDP camps. Nearly 1&1/2 years later there are still an estimated 1 million people living in tents.
And I use the term "tent" lightly. Most are merely tarps held up by sticks. Surely even a "real" tent couldn't stand up to 75 mph winds let alone a tarp on a stick. And if the wind isn't scary enough, there is the rain. Last time we had 3 inches of rain overnight there was massive flooding and several fatalities. I don't even want to think what 8 inches could do.
So as we watch the path of Emily I am thankful it isn't a hurricane, but worried for all those people who are just a strong wind away from being homeless... again.
**UPDATE**
After looking quite ominous for 2 days we are so happy to report that nothing came of Emily. Looking at the radar/satellite images we are still not sure how Haiti was spared the wrath of the storm, but we were. And we feel so blessed. The storm hit the Dominican Republic with fierce rain and wind but once it crossed the mountains into Haiti (not far from here) it just died out. Against all odds and to the amazement of the weather forcasters, it disappeared. I can't help feeling like we all dodged one giant bullet... quite miraculously.
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