Irene cleanup begins as Vermont reels from 'epic' flooding

[nadinbrzezinski]

Source: LA Times

President Obama signed a declaration of emergency Monday for Vermont, hard hit during the night by severe and "epic" flooding caused by the last gasps of Tropical Storm Irene. Cleanup and damage assessment is underway up and down the East Coast with some estimates putting a $7-billion price tag on this storm.

The worst-case scenarios never came to pass as Hurricane Irene barrelled toward the U.S., making landfall in North Carolina and losing strength as it made its way up the East Coast. But that has been little solace to the Northeastern states. More than 22 deaths were attributed to the storm, a number that could rise as the soggy cleanup continues. Millions remain without power and stranded or displaced by floodwaters.

It will take days, perhaps more than a week to restore power to all customers.

Here's a look at where the damage stands, but it will surely change as authorities begin assembling reports:


Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/08/vermont-facing-widespread-irene-flooding-while-storm-clean-up-damage-assessment-begins.html

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It goes without saying... I am glad it was all hype (tm) :sarcasm:

By the way rivres have NOT finished cresting yet...

[SlimJimmy]

1. Epic? Please. When the level is the same as in New Orleans, then we can

describe it as epic. And the residents might be out of power for a week? Oh the horror. This must mean epic power outages as well.

I'm not making light of the damages, but epic is not a word many would use to describe it.

[handmade34]

2. lighten up

epic is an appropriate word to use...: ((extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope))


http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=BT&Dato=20110828&Kategori=NEWS07&Lopenr=828001&Ref=PH&odyssey=mod

[SlimJimmy]

4. No it's not. Not even close. Having lived in either FL or GA since

1979, I think I understand what is and is *not* a major hurricane, or epic.

[uppityperson]

6. kids have it so easy. when I was a kid, I had to walk uphill to school through the snow.Both ways.

For them, for where the flooding is, yes, it is "epic". Thank you for sharing that their disaster isn't comparable to your disaster. It helps us understand you better.

Edited to add this link. Please check it out as it applies to you. Thank you. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1838873&mesg_id=1838873

[SlimJimmy]

8. You want to talk about something that *was* epic? Here's a link.

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/floods/2010-03-31-flood_N.htm

[Auntie Bush]

10. Scenes were repeated like that ALL over the state of VT...almost every single town

It was an Epic rainfall! Three covered bridges built 150 years ago were swept away. It was the most rainfall VT has received in over a hundred years. Let's not quibble about who's was more epic. I'd say they both were.

[uppityperson]

11. No thanks, am reading through the flooding going on today and yesterday

[adigal]

7. A town is NY disappeared, check out the story in NY Times

Disappeared. It was called Prattsville, in the Catskills. The Catskills, the Hudson Valley, Albany and the Adirondacks all got slammed. Two bridges near my house - gone. Cottages, homes, businesses, floated away, never to be seen again. Yes. Epic.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/30/us/30vermont.html?hp

[SlimJimmy]

9. I'm not going to "sign up" to read the story. Give me a better link.

On edit, I pulled this story. Which tells quite a different story than yours. The town is still there, but they have bridges out.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/08/29/new.york.prattville.stranded/

[adigal]

12. They NY Times said the town is gone n/t

[SlimJimmy]

13. They were wrong. They lost some main bridges, but the town and

people are still there.

[totodeinhere]

3. Vermont is a wonderful progressive state. My heart goes out to the victims of this

natural disaster.

[SlimJimmy]

5. Me too. I just don't think it should be over-hyped into something it wasn't.

[Jennicut]

14. You have to understand that upper New England does not typically

get hurricanes like this. I live in CT and the last major hurricane from my lifetime was in 1985 when I was 10. Hurricane Gloria did some damage to CT back then. Before then were hurricanes from when my parents were young, in the 60's and 50's. Vermont is even less used to this sort of weather, especially the amount of rain Hurricane Irene brought. Vermont is not flat like Florida is. It has rolling hills and lots of streams and rivers. The flooding that is going on right now in Vermont is rare and epic for that state. It is the worst flooding in that state since the 1920's. In CT, I escaped much of the effects living in the upper western corner of the state but the shoreline was hit hard. In Fairfield there were houses that collapsed.
Here is more about what happened in Vermont: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=140044806