For the last day we’ve been in frequent contact, via text, with friends in Houston. Initially, they’d decided to ride the hurricane and the rains that followed it, out. Boats came to evacuate their next door neighbors a little while ago and they’re reconsidering that decision.
I fear that Houston is just beginning its travails. Much of the Houston area is quite low—20 feet or lower above sea level—and marshy. When it was first developed in the 1830s and 40s it wasn’t a natural port. It was built on a bayou which in some parts was filled in and in others dredged to form the Port Of Houston.
Consequently, even after the rains end it may be some time before the water is cleared.
Our thoughts and prayers are with our friends and all of the people of Houston.
Update
They tell us the waters are receding and they’ve decided to hang in.
It is my impression that people underestimate the power of wind and water. They decide to ride out a hurricane because they have lived through some bad thunderstorms. They have lived through some storms that did not materialize. I hope people are reassessing and getting out while they can. For those who cannot we can only pray.
Wife lived in Galveston for about 10 years. They used to get flooding just with regular storms and the whole area between Houston and Galveston flooded easily. Hope they improved the drainage since she lived there.
Steve
I’ve been through four hurricanes now and evacuated for three of them and never regretted it.
Now that I’m part of the RV/Motorhome community I found it quite shocking the number of people who decided to ride it out in their trailer. One woman with five young kids posted on a facebook group that the winds were only expected to be 35mph – she was in an RV park between Houston and Galveston.
I think most people cannot grasp the power and danger of these storms until they’ve actually been in one. I can’t come up with any other explanation for all the needless risk-taking.
Dave,
I hope your friends stay safe. The waters may not recede for long.
On Facebook, a friend of mine who is deeply involved with disaster recovery posted that if you are going to give anything, give cash. Everything material creates a secondary disaster, he said.
After Irene, the house I grew up in was flooded when the Susquehanna went everywhere. We took water in the basement, but other people had it worse. Our town and neighborhood were overwhelmed with people supposedly offering help. A next-door neighbor (who couldn’t shut his doors because the wood had warped) was robbed when an alleged contractor came by, scoped out his house, and returned later on.
I’ve never experienced a flood or hurricane. Nonetheless, I do understand how vicious water damage can be from a simple pipe break.
With this is mind, my empathy is overwhelming for those who have to make split decisions about what is precious enough to grab, carry out, and then flee. One never really knows how they would react in a similar situation. However, what I do know is my heart is going out to this region.
I’ve been meaning to inquire, Andy, do you have an A, C class, or a trailer? How do you like the lifestyle?
As for the subject at hand, it’s the water. It’s the water. We are in Door County in WI. (For those not familiar, that’s the little finger on the east side of WI. It separates Lake Michigan and Green Bay). A chickenshit little windy day created what had to be 5 foot waves that would have capsized most small boats. The shear mass/momentum of water is incredible.
Now think about Houston.
Guarneri,
We have a 40 foot class A – needed something big for the five of us. It’s working out really well actually and so far we love the lifestyle. Over the past couple of years we really changed to a minimalist lifestyle, so being nomadic fits pretty well.
I hope your friends changed their mind and left. I think that it is going to get a lot worse.
You have a city below sea level in a bowl, and they use a natural drainage system. The high ground has, is, or will become islands, and there will be no way to get out.