Hurricane Patricia is now measured to be the strongest Hurricane we have ever seen

36 hours ago is roughly the time they could have started evacing people. At that point there still wasn't enough information about the storm to know what it's ultimate size and impact would be. Even now on the cusp of landfall what it's effect will be is all prediction.

Imagine a US state, any of them on the coast with only 3 roads out. you have 36 hours to evac the population of said state, they all have TV internet and every other method of information conveyance we use in the developed world. Do you beleive with all the resources available from the US govermnet that it could be done? that the information would reach everyone and there would be a means to get them all out.

Think about Urban traffic in a major city, 2 accidents on the same road in a 100km stretch can devastate the infrastructure for an entire day, just a couple car accidents in rush hour. Now think about the entire population of a state trying to move out of the area on those roads, couple cars stall, place becomes a parking lot now what? If a couple car accidents can impact a downtown corridor as they do on a daily basis somewhere in North America how can anyone believe that it would be simple to move all these people out of a much harsher environment in the same period of time?

It's not a bold assumption, it happens on a daily basis. People in this thread act like they knew this thing was coming for a week, and that it's just simple to move people. And further where the fuck do they move all these people.

No what they are doing instead is smart, they can't move people out they know this. So instead in the small window they have they are moving emergency teams in, they are moving in earth moving equipment in. If you can't get the people out, the next best option is to have all the emergency equipment and help you can get in there, before the roads are gone or blocked and ready to act as soon as whatever may come comes.

/r/worldnews Thread Parent Link - usatoday.com