Eastern Shore (MD) Stunned By Rains & Flood Damage - WP

[hatrack]

EDIT

The ferocity of the flood was a surprise to Avery and others throughout the area. In Federalsburg, residents at first were just hoping that the rain wouldn't ruin the Saturday night festivities for Patriotic Extravaganza, the town's annual "celebration of God and country." "I had prayed up until about 10 o'clock that night that the rain would hold off until the fireworks were over," Ballas said. The pyrotechnics went off without a hitch. But by the next morning, parts of town were underwater. "I stopped praying," Ballas joked. "So I guess it's my fault."

She said the rain really started coming down about 2 a.m., swelling the banks of Marshyhope Creek into the middle of Main Street in the heart of downtown. The police positioned sandbags to keep the creek water from entering its basement. After Ballas witnessed a police car being pulled out of a four-foot-deep, 30-foot-wide crater in a road near the railroad tracks, she decided to declare a state of emergency and evacuate some residents.

Ykia Lyons, 15, said her family called the fire department for help after more than three feet of water surrounded her house. "It was like we were in the middle of a river," she said. "We couldn't get out." Rescuers eventually used a canoe to get them out. She spent Sunday night with her grandmother and planned to do so again last night if it rained again. But most residents of Federalsburg suffered little destruction to their homes. Even Sharee Grant, who lives right next to the creek, said her home had only minor damage to the foundation. "It was like all of a sudden there was a swimming pool in my back yard," said Grant, 27, a cook. "But somehow the water didn't get into the house."

Ballas said the rainfall has caused the worst damage in the town's history. But she expressed relief that no one was killed and that there were no injuries. The state of emergency was lifted Sunday night, and residents are hopeful that the worst is over.

EDIT

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/26/AR2006062601269.html

[uppityperson]

1. Glad no one died. "Patriotic Extravaganza"? snort

Note to everyone, be prepared for a natural disaster. You may very well be on your own for a while. I don't care where you live, something can happen so prepare.

[On the Road]

2. There Was 7 Inches of Rain in a 24-Hour Period

at least in the Baltimore area -- it was pretty astounding. The type of downpour that usually lets up after a few minutes just kept on going. The only thing that saved the area is that there had been a minor drought recently. No more.

[Virginia Dare]

4. I've had over 12 inches of rain at my house since Friday night...

I mean WTF? This is incredible. Woke up to a wet basement this morning, first time in 14 years. But wait--there is a possible tropical depression forming off the Carolina Coast.

:-(

[phantom power]

5. We are entering the chaotic boundary between old and new climate.

There is likely to be a lot of "WTF" in our future.

Those of you in the DC neck of the woods may relate to Forty Signs of Rain, by Kim Stanley Robinson. He's writing about abrupt climate change in the near future, set partly in DC. But events since 2005 are actually overtaking his fiction. He wrote about a hurricane season with something like 20 storms. I wonder if he wants a do-over?

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Loved his characterizaion of the Prez. He wasn't named Bu**sh**, but ...

you could tell.

[phantom power]

7. Although in the book, he doesn't seem to be sociopathic.

I did like the scene where Charlie meets the President with a sleeping baby on his back.

[liam_laddie]

3. We can only hope

that Rummy's and Shooter's new estates over there were severely harmed,
and that the average residents were spared.

[amandabeech]

8. Lots and lots of rain here in the Harrisburg area.

Earlier today, most of the local streams flooded. Now that the rain has stopped for the most part, the streams are expected to go down tomorrow.

The Susquehannah River runs right at the western edge of downtown, and there have been some nasty floods. I haven't heard what the crest of that river will be, but the Saturday and Sunday schedules of a large music festival have been canceled.