Now that Harvey is moving on, our thoughts and prayers go out to EVERYONE in Texas and Louisiana who was/is/will be affected by this disaster. For those that have never ridden out a hurricane, it is ummmm.....interesting.
The problems are really just beginning for all of the major and minor cities that have been impacted by the wind and flooding. It will be months, years (if ever) to recover from the flooding issues. There are still places in Mississippi that have not fully recovered from Katrina and still people displaced that will never return - and that was 12 years ago. The flooding we encountered last August, Wet Paint and Flatbusted are just getting their house back up - and that was a year ago. There are people here that are just getting back into their houses and we didn't have the floods that further east of us got (like WP and FB).
When you think about it, once power is back on, they will not be able to get power back to houses that have encountered the flooding because of water in the outlets and wiring. AC's are under water (and it is still summer). All of the sheetrock has to be cut and pulled, carpets, furniture, everything. The only place to stack it is along the road for pickup that I cant imagine on a scale for all the places that were affected. We had stuff along the roads for 6 months or more after our flood here in Broussard. I don't know what the total count of flooded dwellings will be - but you have to think of all the cabinets, carpets, flooring, pads, furniture, appliances, sheetrock, lumber - everything - that will have to be gutted, removed and replaced. On this type of scale, I cant even fathom it. Housing for the displaced - probably most without flood insurance (most here didn't have it when we flooded). Cars to be disposed of and replaced. Food to feed everyone without electricity to cook. The displaced animals and pets that had to be left and lost. The time it will take before it will be safe to get power and water back on in these places....it boggles the mind.
Our minister didn't have flood insurance and we were helping him and others get their houses back together when we found out he hadn't been able to even cook a hot meal for 6 months except in a microwave. There were month long waiting lists for appliances (refrigerators and stoves and the like). We helped some church members gut their houses that had 2 feet of water and the entire front yard, as high as we could pile things, was stuff thrown out to be picked up. Basically, everything that was less than 3 feet high went - they were left with studs and a concrete slab inside their house - that was it. We just helped a church family move back into their house a couple of months ago - and that was a year since the flood. Just the amount of cleaning supplies to stop the mold/mildew and bleach to get things cleaned up boggles the mind. Let alone, the clothes and food required to support this many displaced people.
Needless to say, we pray for the families of all who have lost their lives during this disaster - read that the death toll is now at 31 (which I am sure will climb as the flood water recedes).
Anyway, just wanted to send out heart felt prayers and thoughts to all that are/will be affected. The road to recovery is just beginning.
Anyone hear from Fiddle Mike and family? I know that Hotglue and Flamingobabe and good. So many other Valkyrie family over there though.
There are going to be so many people and so many cities affected by this....Had a guy I work with try and get back from here to Texas and couldn't yesterday afternoon - all the roads at the border to Texas were closed (flooded) and when he went through one little town, he said he saw hundreds of people just walking through the water with clothes in bags on their backs - wading through the water to go to higher ground and said every little church was being used as water/supplies distribution and shelters.
Our prayers go out to all.........
