Hurricane Melissa and restoration efforts

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Oct. 28 as a Category 5 hurricane. 

The hurricane formed in the Caribbean Sea before it made landfall first in Jamaica, reaching speeds of 185 miles per hour. After affecting the Greater Antilles, the storm travelled north towards Cuba as a Category 3, and later hit the Bahamas and Bermuda before dissipating over the North Atlantic. 

As of right now, the official death toll in Jamaica is 45, with 15 people still missing, and over 25,000 people are in shelters across the western half of the Island alone after their homes were flooded and destroyed. The storm destroyed homes, downed power lines and submerged streets.

Melissa destroyed the agricultural sector, specifically in Jamaica’s “Bread Basket,” the parish of St. Elizabeth, damaging crops and livestock. The Economic damage in Jamaica is estimated at one-third of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The impact turned the situation into a humanitarian crisis; access to clean water and food is now a critical concern. Flooding destroyed farmlands and local markets. The destruction of crops not only threatens the livelihoods of farmers but also the availability of essential goods for the entire community, further exacerbating the economic challenges faced by the island. As Jamaica grapples with recovery, both the immediate needs of its citizens and the long-term viability of its agricultural sector remain critical focal points. 

Widespread damage to homes, schools, roads, and hospitals has been reported. The hurricane affected over 70% of Jamaica’s power grid, and power restoration remains an ongoing challenge. 

Government and international aid organizations are still engaged in search, rescue and recovery operations, focusing on immediate humanitarian aid and long-term rebuilding. The Red Cross, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), World Vision and other partners have mobilized to provide food, hygiene kits and temporary shelter supplies to those in need. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) dispatched 64 tons of aid to Jamaica. The U.S has also deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team and military forces to assist with airlift support and logistics.

“The frequency and intensity of these storms go hand in hand with the climate crisis.” Brian Bodas, head of the school’s science department, Biology and AP Environmental Science teacher, said. “As water temperatures, on average, are warming … we’re seeing an extension of the traditional hurricane season.”

The Atlantic hurricane season typically lasts from June to November, with the most active periods being September and October. Over the years, hurricane season has shown changes with an increase in storms and overall activity through warmer ocean cycles.

“If there’s enough residual warm water by the end of October, then these hurricanes can still form and cause lots of damage like we’ve seen recently,” Bodas said. 

According to Bodas, organizing an emergency response plan and taking proactive approaches to national disasters is extremely important everywhere, especially in San Diego. 

“We already have coastal flooding issues,” Bodas said, “Like if you go down Blacks Beach, there’s been a number of landslides … California also faces intense wildfires and earthquakes. They have very good predictive models of what’s going to happen.” 

Bodas encourages a proactive approach, which includes staying educated, so he implements San Diego-specific events into his teaching. 

“I just try to bring in examples of whatever current events that are tied to [the environment],” Bodas said. “Whether it’s El Niño, La Niña, or discussing differences between meteorological phenomena, even in [Biology], I’ll discuss earthquakes if they pop up.”

Bodas notes that human interactions with the environment have an extreme impact, and “everyone” has a role to play in conservation efforts, no matter how big or how small. 

“In environmental science, when we have limited resources, there are two basic paths we can follow,” Bodas said.  “One, to develop more … or two, the cheaper option — simply conserve.”

Opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum

After over two decades of planning, delay, and nearly $1 billion in resources, Egypt’s Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) officially opened the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilization to the public on Nov. 4.

Located just outside the Great Pyramids of Giza, the GEM stands as a new landmark in Cairo’s tourism and cultural landscape. The design of the building features a triangular glass facade that blends with the nearby pyramids. Then, upon entering, visitors are met with an 83-ton statue of Ramesses II in the atrium.

“I think there is something exceptional that this is a museum entirely dedicated to one civilization, it is in the country in which that civilization existed,” Advanced Placement U.S. and Art History teacher Colin Cornforth said. “It feels like a very honest and culturally sensitive representation of the culture from which it [the museum] comes.”

The museum is home to a collection of more than 100,000 artifacts, with 50,000 items on display. Arguably, the most notable of such artifacts is the complete collection of King Tutankhamun, which is on display for the first time since its discovery in 1922. This collection includes his golden mask, throne, chariots, and thousands of other treasures. Pharaoh Khufu’s 4,600-year-old solar boat has also been carefully restored and is on display.

When referencing the centralization of Egypt’s archaeological collection in one institute, Cornforth said it will “encourage more people to go to the source” and that then people can “experience the modern culture that exists in a place where the pieces existed.”

Inside, a six-story staircase, lined with over 60 artifacts, leads directly into the 12 main exhibition halls, organized around ancient Egyptian society. The museum also includes a children’s museum, a conference center, conservation labs, and landscaped gardens.

Egyptian officials expect that the GEM will provide the necessary boost to increase tourism. The museum is estimated to attract up to 7 million visitors annually, with a daily cap of 20,000 to maintain a quality viewing experience for all. 

Beyond economic goals, the GEM was built to serve as a symbol of national pride and to set the nation on a forward trajectory by first preserving its path. The GEM also used this launch to reignite global momentum for the return of Egyptian artifacts around the world, according to The New York Times. 

“I think the fact that the discussions [regarding the return of artifacts] are a positive step, and I think that they have been happening for a long time,” Cornforth said. “But I think the momentum is growing and kind of pushing more of those discussions and repatriation of the pieces.”

Egyptian officials and cultural campaigners argue that the country has now disputed the old justification that Egypt “lacks infrastructure” to care for artifacts. Artifacts around the world: the Rosetta Stone, currently on display at the British Museum, the Bust of Nefertiti, found in Berlin, and the Dendera Zodiac on display at the Louvre, are being asked to be returned to the nation of origin to be displayed in the GEM. Cultural campaigners, including Dr Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s former minister of tourism and antiquities, have established online petitions calling for many items to be returned.  

“I think that the discussion about repatriation has often been that the country of origin is incapable, unsafe or they don’t have either the skills or resources to maintain these artifacts properly,” Cornforth said, “I’m hopeful that this is dispelling that sort of myth and demonstrating that these places of origin can accurately and effectively represent and maintain these artifacts.”