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March 20, 2006
Deluge! (2)
We had an unbelievable amount of rain on Sunday-- 7.74 inches! We took the girls to the store (a typical Sunday activity). It had been raining slowly and steadily all day. As we went into the grocery, it started to really pour. By the time we were back outside, it was insane. Karen and I managed to get the girls and groceries into the car in fairly good condition. Meanwhile we were soaked.
Navigating the streets home was tough. We ran into problems coming along our normal route and had to turn around. The water was probably 1 1/2 feet deep at a higher point at the low point I was imagining cars getting stalled out or swept away. Even our higher ground alternate route was a mess.
After we got home, the director of the girls school called and wanted me to go check the building (which is only 3 blocks away) for flooding. One of the classrooms always tends to get some water in it when it rains.
I put my raincoat on and started to make my way there, a block away I met some saw horses. Thinking that they were marking a hazard in the middle of the road, I followed other cars around them. The next intersection was a river. (Not surprising, as our neighbor used to play in the creek that the road was built on when he was a boy in the 1930’s.) I turned around and attempted to cross at the next block, which was even worse.
I made it back home and decided to wait the storm out. When I stepped in the door there was a call from a friend who had totaled his car a block from his home. He drove into what looked like 6 inches, and shortly after water rushed into his doors and over his seats. He had to crawl out of the window and leave his car there. Later the pressure was so great that both of his passenger windows shattered.
I finally got to the school to find 3 rooms flooded with several inches of water. Over 2 hours later and 14 full shop-vacs of water (16 gallon), I had the majority of the water out of the building.
The pictures above were taken by Janelle Triana and posted to a local news site. They are pictures of the intersection that I wisely decided not to cross.
Posted by Rich at March 20, 2006 10:17 AM
Comments
Holy cats! Nearly eight inches of rain in a day? I can't even fathom that. When our basement flooded, it was after two inches of rain in a little over a day. I think our entire house would wash away after eight inches...
Posted by: J.D. at March 20, 2006 11:20 PM
As a post script, it is obvios that we ended up with a bit of water under the house. When we came home yesterday, it was extremely musty and in need of a good airing out.
Posted by: Rich at March 21, 2006 10:54 AM
