Recovery

Well it's been two weeks since the flood. People are working feverishly to put their lives back together.

Our neighbor's huge oak tree fell across the road, phone and power lines on our street, blocking the road for a week before crews were able to get it removed. Our problem was so very minor compared to some just a short distance from our home. We didn't even loose power or cable.


(Some of the pictures do not fit in the column. Please click on them to open in Flickr to see the complete picture.)

We had numerous traffic jams on our little street due to travelers trying to navigate around all the road closures and not realizing our road wasn't open. The biggest problem was the fully loaded semi that pulled down our street then had to back up until he could turn around. I couldn't get by the truck to get home so I spent the time picking up some items we needed from the nearby Rite-Aid, until the semi had found its way back to the main road.

I am amazed when I drive by homes that have been completely gutted due to flooding. The windows had to be removed and all that remains of the original home is the exterior walls and the framing. So very sad.

These next pictures are from co-workers. They were very lucky. Neither of them had much flooding in their homes, but their neighbors weren't so lucky. However, these houses weren't flooded to their roofs which did happen to so many homes in the area.







There is a church that was flooded five years ago but this time, I'm afraid they are going to have to tear it down. The bricks were falling off the building and there is mold on the material behind the brick wall.



When driving through the areas that had been flooded I can still see the mud line on the trees. It is heart wrenching to be sitting my my car and have to look up to see the water line.


What may look like sunlight on the trees is actually the mud line.





Large trash containers are everywhere. Yards are filled with furniture, personal belongings and cabinets, ruined wall board, carpet and appliances.

The flood brought out the best and the worst in people. Some of the local churches were on scene before the Red Cross teams arrived. A Baptist group came in and cleared out in one day more than families had been able to do in almost a week.



There have been some problems with looting. The police are stepping up patrols and arrests have been made.

We are recovering. The wounds are healing, but there is a long way to go. Literally there are homes that are now exterior walls and framework. So much is yet to be done. But each day a little more is done. Recovery is a little bit closer.

It's been said before, but it is so true. Life can change in an instant.

Later
D