The Final Call

Hurricane, horror strikes U.S. East Coast

By Jesse Muhammad -Staff writer- | Last updated: Aug 31, 2011 - 10:10:33 PM

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Divine judgment plagues America, people need to pay attention in order to survive, warn Muslim ministers

(top) A large, fallen tree blocks a road while it rest on some cars in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Aug. 28. Hurricane Irene bore down on a dark and quiet New York early Sunday, bringing winds and rapidly rising seawater that threatened parts of the city. The rumble of the subway system was silenced for the first time in years, the city all but shut down for the strongest tropical lashing since the 1980s. (bottom) The hurricane force winds of Irene rip the siding off of homes on Nags Head, N.C. on Aug. 27. Photos: AP/Wide World photos

(FinalCall.com) - As if having record-setting storm patterns and deadly heat waves increasing across the country wasn't enough, now multiple states have been rocked by a recent earthquake and Hurricane Irene has left a trail of destruction on the East Coast—including deaths, widespread power outages and flooding.

According to a mid-August report by the National Weather Service, a record-tying nine $1 billion weather disasters has rocked the country's economy this year to the tune of $35 billion. By June, the nation had already experienced $20 billion in losses due to thunderstorms, doubling the national average from the previous three years.

The agency also reported that U.S. natural disasters have tripled in the last 20 years with a record 250 striking last year. This year has been tormented by droughts, wildfires, multiple tornadoes and blizzards.

“The nation is increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather. It doesn't take a wizard to predict that 2011 will go down in history,” said Jack Hayes, director of the National Weather Service.

At Final Call press time, Irene took the lives of at least 20 people in nine states after making landfall on Aug. 27. Approximately four million people were without power and U.S. officials report that wind damages will cost at least $1 billion. Mass evacuations took place in many states and fear for the worst caused New York City to be completely shut down for the first time in its history.

“I do want to underscore that the impacts of this storm will be felt for some time, and the recovery effort will last for weeks or longer,” said President Barack Obama during a press conference on Aug. 28.

Some experts believe that La Nina, the cooling of the Pacific Ocean, or mere coincidence is behind some of this destruction. However, Nation of Islam members say this is God's Judgment coming down on America as declared by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

“That earthquake should serve as a sign and a warning that Almighty Allah is not pleased with the direction of this government. Particularly as they ignore the needs of the poor and the war path they are on,” says Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad, National Assistant to Minister Farrakhan in Chicago.

“The enemy does not want the masses of the people to hear the prophetic voice of Minister Farrakhan, so they deliberately work to keep his messages from reaching their ears. They know that Minister Farrakhan will help those who call themselves Muslims and Christians see that what is written in the Bible and Qur'an is being fulfilled right now,” said Ishmael Muhammad.

According to news reports, a rare and strong 5.8-magnitude earthquake hit the East Coast on Aug. 23 for approximately 30 seconds.

Some reports say due to the hard and brittle ground of that coast, the tremor could be felt as far north as Canadaand as far south as Georgia—starting first near Richmond, Va. It has been recorded as the most impactful quake to hit that area since 1897 and was followed by three aftershocks over a 24-hour span, measuring between 2.0 and 4.9 on the Richter Scale.

“I'm not surprised that an earthquake took place there. First because it is written in scripture of earthquakes taking place in diverse places and also many fault lines run throughout America. We have a fault line running from Houston to Dallas. We're just only accustomed to seeing earthquakes on the West Coast,” says Captain Khallid Greene of Houston Inner-City Emergency Response Team.

Villalba, P.R., August 25, 2011 -- Preliminary Damage Assesments took place in several municipalities to evaluate the extent and type of damages in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. In this photo, Jason Chavez, from Public Assistance takes a look at the damages in the backyard of one of the affected homes. Photo: Ashley Andújar/FEMA

“People were shaken up here in D.C. by that earthquake,” says Student Minister Abdul Khadir Muhammad of Washington, D.C. He noted that grocery stores were being cleared out in preparation for Irene and hardly anything was left on the shelves.

“That (earthquake) is nothing compared to what is coming. I saw some people making light of the situation and telling jokes but as the Holy Qur'an tells us and the Hon. Elijah Muhammad warned, the land would be curtailed on all its sides,” said Ishmael Muhammad.

The four great judgments of God

Minister Farrakhan warned that America would soon reap a major earthquake during a March 31 press conference at Mosque Maryam, the headquarters of the Nation of Islam.

“Now the reason that judgment is on America is not because of bad policies and what she has done to other nations of the earth. But the reason that His anger is kindled against America and His threat to destroy America is because of what America has done, is doing and plans to do against the people that God has chosen,” said Min. Farrakhan.

“Open your eyes and look at the increasing rain, hail, snow. There are several hundred earthquakes that have already come to America, little ones. God when he sends a warner, the Qur'an says he seizes the people with distress and affliction that they might humble themselves,” said Min. Farrakhan.

He added that “America is under the four great judgments of rain, hail, snow and earthquake as taught by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. And, as the Qur'an teaches America's wealth is dissipating and she is deeply in debt.”

According to data collected by the National Weather Service, in late January, a blizzard dumped nearly 2 feet of snow across central, eastern and northeastern states, leaving at least 36 dead. The melting of snow in the spring flooded the Missouri, Souris, and Mississippi rivers, costing nearly $6 billion in damages. Sizzling triple digit temperatures across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Kansas, Arkansas and Louisiana has caused over $5 billion in losses. During April and May, nearly 700 tornadoes hit the country, causing at least $16 billion in insured losses.

The recent quake was felt on Martha's Vineyard, where President Obama was vacationing with his family. It also forced the evacuation of several government facilities on Capitol Hill, including the White House, Pentagon and Capitol. Two D.C. landmarks, including the Washington Monument and towers atop the National Cathedral, sustained damages.

Fearing a nuclear explosion, similar to what took place in Japan in the wake of its tsunami, 11 U.S. nuclear power plants on the East Coast went on low and high-alert status in areas that felt the quake.

“Death and destruction is at the door of all of us and we are worse prepared than the Japanese and the arrogance to think that our nuclear reactors are secure,” said Min. Farrakhan during his March 31 press conference. “America has nuclear reactors sitting on major fault lines. Much death, I'm going to say it again, much death is on its way,” said the Minister.

“I hope we get the message that Minister Farrakhan has been speaking about what is coming to America. When we reject his message this is the price tag we have to pay,” said Khadir Muhammad, who was in a meeting with others when the quake struck and noticed the walls began to move.

“I went outside and bricks had already come out of the chimney of the building we were meeting in. As I drove home, there were so many people in the streets. People were rattled that they could not get out of downtown D.C. and it took a long time for them to evacuate,” he said.

Jamil Muhammad, based in the D.C. area as well, felt the quake while riding home and could not use his cell phone for many hours.

“It is very significant that this earthquake touched Washington D.C., which in many ways represents America's power. We've had 105 degree heat. Allah is reinforcing that He is the sole Sovereign Lord. We may try to erect more statues and bow down to others, but we must submit to God only today,” said Jamil Muhammad, a Muslim student minister.

In his book The Fall of America, published in 1973, the Hon. Elijah Muhammad wrote, “America has lived in peace—so far as foreign war is concerned. She has destroyed other peoples and their towns and cities. She has leveled them to the ground. She is still prepared to do the same with her great stockpile. She says she has enough bombs and destructive weapons to destroy all human beings on the face of the earth three times, and still have some left. Of this she boasts. But Allah (God) has said to me that He will destroy America. He will bring her to her knees (humiliation).”

The Hon. Elijah Muhammad further warned, “The destruction sent to ancient Babylon and recorded in the Bible is the answer to most of what He has said to me will come upon the now rich America. Rain, hail, snow and earthquakes—these weapons all belong to God. America, how do you fight an army like this?”

Guidance, warning and disaster preparedness

With all of the present disasters, Mr. Greene says his team is seeing an influx of people signing up to take advantage of preparedness training. The problem is not enough Black people taking interest, he says.

Shoppers stock up on water from rapidly emptying shelves at a grocery store in Far Rockaway in New York, Aug. 25.

“It is strange how every time a disaster happens, the majority of the images we see on television are Black people having to be saved. Where are the trained men and women in our community? We have to be trained not only to survive but to rebuild after the disaster occurs. Get our families prepared,” said Mr. Greene.

Dating back to the 1930s, the Hon. Elijah Muhammad advised the people that it was vitally necessary to store survival kits in homes and vehicles in preparation for the inevitable calamities hitting America.

“Having a 30-day supply of food and water gives you a better chance of surviving than having nothing at all. Don't wait for something to happen when people are rushing to clear off the shelves to then decide to store up something for your family,” warns Ishmael Muhammad.

“Jesus gave a parable in the Bible of the five wise virgins and the five foolish virgins. The wise ones stored up oil and the foolish ones did not. It would be quite foolish to have nowhere to go but your home and you don't have adequate supplies, food or first-aid items for survival,” he added.

“The Qur'an speaks of a man who would teach us what foods to eat and what to store in our houses. The presence and guidance of Minister Farrakhan is Mercy from God. We have been called to that which gives us life and that life is only preserved by obeying the guidance of the Messenger of God,” says Jamil Muhammad.

Ishmael Muhammad advises that members of the NOI look into getting survival kits in bulk, not only for their families but the greater community.

“What good is it for you to have your survival kit but the neighbors on your block aren't prepared? It is our job to be bearers of witness to the people of the messenger in our midst. We are not only to warn our people that we're in the Day of Judgment but we also have a responsibility to organize and mobilize our communities to have minimal loss. Take the information to your neighbors,” he stresses.

Newark, N.J. Mayor Cory Booker told The Final Call, “We have mostly down power lines and a lot of residents are without power. This presents a real danger for senior citizens, newborns and people needing treatments. We got a lot of property damage due to flooding and fallen trees. We have road damage and even some of our parks, which has severe flood damages. We had to do a lot of rescues over the last two days from people stranded in their cars,” he added.

“I was impressed with a lot of the calm and the ways people were helping each other out. We were able to get a lot of shelters open really quickly to aid families. As I was going around to shelters I was very impressed with the spirit and energy of people helping others,” said Mr. Booker.“I think this has been a good experience for many residents to really think about emergency plans and having emergency supplies. In the last week we've seen an earthquake as well as a hurricane, so people should be prepared. It is better to prepare for an emergency and not have one, than to have an emergency and find yourself unprepared.”