Economic Effects

Hurricane Irene was the first hurricane to seriously affect the United States in six years. When a hurricane hits, it can hurt that community’s economy. An economy is the way a place uses its money, goods, natural resources, and services. Hurricanes can damage trees, homes, cars, and buildings. Luckily, Hurricane Irene had started to lose strength as it traveled toward New York on August 27, 2011. That doesn’t mean that Irene isn’t going to cost local communities and our nation a lot of money.

This picture shows some of the damage caused by Hurricane Irene.

There are many reasons a hurricane can hurt an economy. When businesses had to close down because of the hurricane, they lost money. As an example, Hurricane Irene interrupted back-to-school shopping. It caused shoppers to stay home where it was safe. Irene also flooded many farmers’ fields, causing them to lose their crops.

Transportation was also affected by Hurricane Irene. Subways and trains in New York City, for example, were shut down due to possible flooding. Airports were also closed. This caused many travelers to be stuck in local airports for days. Many residents and businesses were evacuated prior to Irene’s arrival. This means they were ordered to leave their homes and businesses. Many restaurants and recreational activities came to a halt as Irene approached.

The impact of Hurricane Irene is expected to be significant for the nation as a whole. Communities will need a lot of time and money to clean up the damage caused by Hurricane Irene. The country could lose a lot of money because of this violent storm.  “The impacts of this storm will be felt for some time,� President Obama said. “And the recovery effort will last for weeks or longer.�

TLX News Journal: Economics Activity
How would you prepare your family for an evacuation due to weather? Prepare an emergency kit that includes everything you might need if the electricity, water, and lights were to go out and everything is shut down in your community.