The catastrophe in the Gulf is getting to a point where the ecological, social and economic impacts are beyond comprehension. The suffering is immense and unfortunately getting worse, from the fishermen who can no longer make a living to the sea creatures floundering in a toxic stew.
At the risk of sounding like an alarmist, I’ve feared since reports started breaking on how dire the downhole situation was a month ago, that we are on the verge of a massive exodus from the entire effected region. It seems unavoidable that the current will push the oil around the coast of Florida, up the Eastern seaboard and out into the Atlantic Ocean.
One immediate concern is that power plants that use water from the Gulf Coast may need to be shut down. Rolling blackouts are especially concerning with Florida’s large elderly population and a flat terrain which means that most water distribution requires electricity.
There is also a risk that rain could distribute the dispersant Corexit on shore, even though I have not seen conclusive evidence of the percentage that could be distributed through the evaporation cycle. Nonetheless, hurricanes and tropical storms would push the toxic waters further inland even without the help of rain. The third major risk is benzene contamination of the water supplies. Sadly, but at this point probably inevitably, economic desperation will drive many westward as was the case during the Dust Bowl of the Depression.
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