CHAT

LUCK OR LEGEND?

St. Petersburg, Florida, has been spared significant hurricane damage for more than a century; recent storms such as Irma and Ian have only had minor effects. Some locals say this is because of a supposed "energy vortex" that protects the area, or the burial mounds of the Tocobaga tribe. Professor Anna Guengrich draws attention to the fact that these burial mounds—which are located throughout Florida's coast—don't truly shield the state from hurricanes. Local legends or not, the piece emphasizes the significance of being prepared for hurricanes and taking natural disaster preparations seriously, even in light of these fascinating beliefs.