Sometimes, when I go online and see news about millions of people dying as a result of natural disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes, wildfires, or volcanic eruptions, I feel terribly sad for them. At the same time, I feel blessed to have been born in this country. Don't get me wrong - I dislike many things about this country, including the economy, leaders, roads, electricity, and many other aspects. However, one thing we are fortunate to have in this country is that we rarely experience natural disasters, unlike many other countries.
Of course, natural disasters like flooding do occur in some parts of the country, particularly those with poor roads and weak dams. But compared to countries that experience devastating natural disasters like volcanic eruptions, I'd say we are really lucky. For instance, on October 29th, 2024, heavy and destructive rains hit Spain, resulting in terrible floods that claimed 217 lives. Similarly, France experienced flooding in different regions on October 17th and 18th, resulting in loss of life and resources. I dread all types of natural disasters, but earthquakes and volcanic eruptions top my list. Earthquakes can occur without warning, swallowing everything in their path. Sometimes, it happens without warnings. That's a terrible way to die. Volcanic eruptions, on the other hand, sometimes give warning signs. It gives people time to evacuate and escape coming dangers. It's sad that people have to leave behind their homes and memories, but sometimes that's the best option.
Luckily, I have never experienced natural disasters of any kind, but unfortunately, some of my friends have. Two years ago, my friend and his family lost their properties and goods worth millions to a wildfire. The wildfire happened in one of the largest markets in my area. Many people who built shops there and had been selling goods in their shops were affected. It was on a Sunday afternoon. Like many others, we had just returned from church and were resting. According to reports, a transformer that distributes electricity exploded and it was located in the middle of many shops. Since it was a Sunday, many people were either at home resting or in their places of worship. So when the fire happened there were not many people to extinguish the fire. Also, the fire was spreading so rapidly that those who tried to put it out had to give up and watch. There was nothing they could do.
All of a sudden, my friend’s mom got a call from her friend, breaking the news that her shop was on fire. She rushed to the place, but there was nothing she could do about it. According to reports, a man who lost millions, both in cash and properties, committed suicide. He had been saving his money somewhere in his shop for the past 3 years, only for the wildfire to consume everything. My friend’s mom was unable to do anything for three straight weeks. It’s been over two years now, and I'm happy to see that she's healed from the traumatic experience and is now doing well.
There’s a conspiracy theory that the wildfire was not natural but was committed by the Hausas. In my country, there are different ethnic groups. The most popular are Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. In 2020, there was a war between the Hausas and Yorubas, which resulted in the deaths of many Hausas. The conspiracy theory is that the Hausa caused the wildfire to get back at the Yorubas since most people in the market were Yorubas.
This is my entry to the INLEO prompt for today. The topic is: Have you or your friend been in a natural disaster?
Thanks for reading.
