It was tornado this time. But it could be hurricane, earthquake, or fire next time. And, more to the point, the devastation caused would be just the same.
The tornado outbreak killed at least 24 people and injured dozens more, making it the deadliest in Tennessee since at least 2011. A state of emergency was declared as tens of thousands of residents grappled with the lack of electricity, disrupted gas and water lines and impassable roads.
(The Washington Post, March 4, 2020)
Aerial pictures show hundreds of buildings reduced to piles of debris over a 50-mile area around Nashville. Unsurprisingly, rescuers have yet to find 17 people who are still missing in that debris.
What else can one say, except that there but for the grace of God …?
Meanwhile, the media are giving short shrift to this bona-fide natural disaster. This, because it serves their corporate interests to continue hyping the coronavirus into a pandemic that could kill tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people.
And yes, panic is as good for (many) businesses as pandemic.
Photos of empty shelves, long lines at grocery stores around the world reveal real panic as the spread of coronavirus intensifies. …
Shoppers around the world are heading to grocery stores to stock up on food and basics as fear over the spread of coronavirus grows.
(Business Insider, March 4, 2020)
But it might be helpful to bear in mind that this tornado killed more than twice as many people in one night in the United States than the coronavirus has killed since the panic began last December. (Oh, the seasonal flu? It’s on record to kill tens of thousands … again. But government officials don’t seem to care.)
Still, I urge you to join me in doing whatever you can to help the grieving folks of Tennessee rebuild their shattered lives: help!
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