Massive Storm Hits UK Coast

A combination of heavy rain and strong winds hit the United Kingdom coast today in one of the largest storms to hit the nation in quite some time. A 14 year-old boy is believed to have died after being washed away from the strong waves. Flights and trains have also been delayed due to the storm, and winds were measured at up to 80 miles per hour. I was shocked to see in the picture above that civilians are walking so close to the shore during the flood. Also, one part of the article that I found particularly interesting is that the article clearly says the UK doesn't get hurricanes due to its geographic location. 80 mile an hour winds and massive waves seems pretty close to hurricane type conditions though, and just goes to show a country always has to be prepared for hazards. Overall, the country should move on pretty quickly from this type of hazard. Much of that can be contributed to the overall development of the UK as one of the leading countries economically in the world, in contrast to some of the previous countries mentioned in this blog. However, this goes to show that no matter how developed a country is, how prepared they can be, hazards can have an affect anywhere. It's how quickly and efficiently a country can respond to the hazard, as well as the overall preparedness. http://www.weather.com/news/st-jude-day-storms-uk-braces-severe-weather-20131027