Americans are preparing for a collapse with apocalyptic overtones, as a consequence of the Solar Eclipse

On 8 April , 2024, the shadow of the Moon will completely darken the skies in part of North America for about five minutes, turning the day into night.

A few centuries ago, this event was a reason for fears on the part of the population, attributing supernatural powers to it. Today we know that an eclipse has nothing to do with taumaturgy, but is something that can be explained in a simple and rational way.

But in the towns that are lucky enough to be in that strip of 185 kilometres wide where the night will be in the middle of the day, from Mexico to Canada and crossing the United States, there is fear of a crisis related to this astronomical event.

Tourist apocalypse in the making

The Emergency Management authorities of Lorain County, Ohio, have issued a series of recommendations for residents and visitors among which it is recommended to stock up on food, water and fuel before this event, as if it were an imminent apocalypse.

It is that, for this eclipse, the Sun will be at or near the maximum solar, and this increases the chances that the solar protuberances, those blatant streamers that detach from its surface, will be more visible throughout the crown than on other occasions. Even NASA warned that "it is likely to observe an ejection of coronal mass (a large eruption of solar material) during the eclipse."

The great influx of tourists who hope to enjoy those few wonderful minutes that the celestial event will give us, is making areas are prepared along the path of the whole, where the lunar shadow will be absolute.

In this sense, an increase in traffic and waiting time is expected in publics such as hospitals, difficulties in accessing the supply of food and fuel among other supplies. The large number of people can also collapse cellular communication systems due to the increase in the activity of mobile phones in the area, overloading the system.

Preparing for the problems

All the cities along the path of the eclipse, large and small, will be overwhelmed by the tourists of the eclipse.

Some, such as Indianapolis, are preparing for a stoppage or at least a slowdown of their traffic. The Indiana Department of Transportation is limiting any construction in the area along the entire road. The Indiana State Police will make all the officers work that day.

It's not just the problem of congestion. The increase in delays can drive aggressive driving by the impatient, which can cause an increase in the risk of accidents.

A network of portable cameras is being installed in Oklahoma to monitor traffic congestion that day. The Texas Department of Transportation plans to have cranes on hold to deal with any incident. There is also concern that drivers may cause fires by stopping their hot vehicles on dry grass.

Exaggerated?

Fears may seem exaggerated, but they do not lack foundations and precedents. In sectors of Texas, they expect their populations to multiply temporarily. Kerrville, a city of 25,000 inhabitants, estimates to receive almost half a million visitors. There was already a history in the previous eclipse.

In 2017, about five million people travelled to the entire eclipse trajectory, and almost all those attending the eclipse arrived at their destination by car, either driving directly or taking a flight to a nearby airport and driving the rest of the way.

Many locations are not prepared in terms of infrastructure for such a number of tourists. Many of the roads are two-lane, which can extremely slow down vehicular traffic.

While the astronomical show promises to be memorable, the logistical and security challenges for the localities located on the path of the whole should not make us forget the importance of enjoying this event safely, reminding viewers of the need to protect their eyes with specialised glasses for the observation of eclipses.