Mississippi's Recovery, Fast and Steadfast
Mississippi Still a Great Place to Live
The world watched in shock and horror as the images poured
in documenting the death and mass destruction caused by
Hurricane Katrina. The hard work and sacrifices of past
and current generations seemed to be destroyed in the blink
of an eye along with the hopes and dreams of residents
caught up in the devastating storm.
It took some time to assess the true extent of the damage
from Hurricane Katrina and then there was one question that
demanded an answer. People wondered whether or not places
like Mississippi could ever possibly recover. Still others
questioned the wisdom of rebuilding places prone to
hurricanes, like New Orleans, again.
Hats off to the indomitable will of citizens of the United
States, particularly those living in the great state of
Mississippi, they do not accept defeat so easily. No doubt,
it will take many years, if not decades, to recover from the
damage and destruction, but they will recover, and some
forms of recovery will have to occur at a faster pace than
others due to their importance to the health of Mississippi
and that of the United States itself.
The Mississippi river is the main inland waterway ferrying
millions of tons of goods and products, making its
gatekeeper, the state of Mississippi, an important center of
economic activity not only for the region but for the entire
country. The river serves as a conduit for millions of tons
of products that are transported up river every year. It
appears that the hurricane may have temporarily damaged this
important mode of transportation thus bringing to halt a
fair portion of the local and national economy.
Mississippi is also very important to the nation's energy
production. It has several refineries in
the state that are
responsible for converting crude oil into gasoline, diesel
and other petroleum products. Hurricane Katrina's
destruction not only harmed the local Mississippi economy,
but it also did some major damage to the nation as a whole.
The economic impact of the hurricane was such that it caused
a large hike in the energy prices of the nation. Since no
less than twenty-five percent of the petroleum comes from
the states on the Gulf Coast, the impact on the national
economy was severe. The nation struggled to stabilize the
supply and prices. But the impact on the local economy has
been much larger as the petroleum business constitutes
nearly eighty percent of the total mineral production in
Mississippi.
The destruction to the offshore fishing industry in
Mississippi was also devastating to the state but it did
not have anywhere near the impact as the loss of the
refining facilities. Biloxi is a major hub for the shrimp
industry and it was virtually wiped out by Katrina.
Despite the terrible destruction of Hurricane Katrina the
state will not only survive, it will eventually thrive. The
dedication with which the Gulf Coast states like Mississippi
are being rebuilt and the kind of money that is going into
it will ultimately create a stronger state with an even
brighter economic future.
About The Author
Wilma Larwill is the chief writer at At Mississippi, visit there today for the latest Mississippi advice, and why not sign up for the free Mississippi newsletter. If you want to read more Mississippi articles go to: http://www.atmississippi.com/articles
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