June 1 is an important date for the state of Georgia and the East Coast. Itmarks the first day of hurricane season, a potentially scary time for many living near the Atlantic Ocean. This year, the trouble has fallen on the Carolinas as the infamous Hurricane Florence has swept through and already caused noteable damage to the people living within those states.

Although category 1, the least severe of the five hurricane categories, Florence did not disappoint with flooding, winds of 90 mph, 11 deaths, and loss of electricity for over 1 million homes across North and South Carolina.

One of the major issues when dealing with hurricanes is evacuation. Many of the people impacted have pets, disabilities or other obstacles that make it difficult to leave everything and evacuate. These people are often forced to endure the harshness of the storm–an incredibly dangerous task. Christine Meinhold, a South Carolinian woman with seven dogs, was on the path to being one of those who unfortunately stays behind. However, after sharing her dilemma online, a fundraising campaign was made to aid her in evacuating to safety. The campaign eventually raised upwards of $2900 to rent Meinhold a truck to allow her and her dogs safety.

Whether Carolinians evacuated or stayed behind, Hurricane Florence undoubtedly took a tool. However, Florence is not the last storm of 2018 hurricane season; Hurricanes Isaac and Helene are still forecasted to join Florence in the Atlantic.