Since last Friday, and still unfurling, a natural disaster is hitting Texas, Louisiana, and other southern states with no signs of stopping. With these tumultuous times, it can be hard to reach out, support, contact or even be informed of the situation of the victims of Hurricane Harvey who have been displaced and living in shelters.

This storm has been unusual for a few reasons: mainly due to the fact that Hurricane Harvey has been 'stuck' in one place longer than any other storm in memory. The reason for the storm’s stagnation is due to equally strong pressure pushing the storm in opposite directions. The severity of the storm is due to its passing over a body of warmer water within the Gulf of Mexico (referred to as an eddy). By doing so, it was able to derive more energy. Like Hurricane Katrina, this escalated the storm from Category 1 to belonging in Category 4.

Global warming is also definitely contributing to this storm. As hurricanes themselves are fueled by the warm ocean waters, it is thus inevitable that our rising global temperatures, which warm up oceans continually, cause an increasing amount of water to consistently evaporate into the atmosphere.

With a predicted 50 inches of rain to continue and no end in sight, people both within the US and globally are looking for ways to help:

Texting “Harvey” to 90999 automatically donates $10 to the American Red Cross. Additionally, the Chicago division of the American Red Cross has already sent down over a dozen volunteers to help work in shelters which now have taken in displaced victims from the city of Houston and surrounding areas.

In addition to the American Red Cross’s efforts, by this time next week, the divisions of the Salvation Army located in Chicago, northern Illinois, and northwest Indiana will be sending people and supplies to the Greater Houston Area. Donations towards the Salvation Army's relief efforts can be gifted on their website.

There are also area specific charities that accept donations and supplies, such as the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Goods and funds can also be donated to the Society of St. Vincent DePaul located in Houston.

In order to help more specific cases, such as families, donations can be made to the Texas Diaper Bank, as well as the Save the Children Harvey Relief. Abandoned pets can be helped through the following charities: SPCA of Texas,  Houston Humane Society,  Austin Pets Alive!, and the San Antonio Humane Society.

The last and most personal way to help in this situation is to simply be a friend. In an email sent on August 28th, Mark Laboe, the Associate VP of the DePaul University Ministry advised all current students to lend an ear and show kindness to not only the 250+ students that are from affected areas, but also to those who may have families in such areas. The email further outlined ways to help and whom to contact, should effect students and faculty need emergency services or face difficulties returning to campus.