I've got a friend that lives close to New Orleans and obviously suffered through Hurricane Katrina three years ago. They evacuated to Baton Rouge, spent four days in blistering humid heat with relatives that they didn't particularly care for only to return home and find their house with feet of water in it. Her parents' home was completely destroyed.
Hurricane Gustav is now on his way to that same area with loads of force. It's a category 3 storm, but expected to strengthen to a category 4. I, living within very close proximity to the coast myself, have a "I stick like glue for a category 2 and flee for a category 3" rule. We've been here through two 2's and did just fine. There were tense moments, though. I don't care to find out what it would be like to watch our trees bend in more severe conditions.
So my friend and her family, who had intended to stay put, are now frantically packing, elevating everything in their home they can, and getting the heck out of dodge with intense anxiety for what is about to happen and what they'll return home to find. In her email to a group of folks she said, "I'm in tears. I can't believe this is happening - AGAIN."
I'm thinking she's conveying the sentiments of many gulf coasters. Unfortunately, I can believe it. When you choose to live in a coastal region, it's a real risk. I warn everyone who says they want to move here of it. When my parents moved to a town about 10 minutes west of us, my mom said, "But a hurricane wouldn't hit here, would it?" *sigh* These storms are often hundreds of miles big. I don't think mom and dad will get hit with coastal flooding, but their winds will be only a few miles an hour weaker than right on the beach. And they'll get flooding from the river that flows a quarter of a mile from their home in a storm surge. Again, the risk is real.
Godspeed to you, your family, and everyone in your area, my friend. I pray for this storm to weaken and not cause havoc. No one deserves it. :-(
No comments:
Post a Comment