Damage and Loss

Historic Flooding Unfolding Along Ohio, Mississippi Rivers

Cincinnati, Ohio has received over a foot of rain in April, which around four times its normal rainfall for the entire month.


Record- or near-record water levels are taxing levees in the region.


The stress on the levees in some locations will not only last days but weeks as the huge rivers such as the Mississippi and Ohio take much longer to fall below flood stage than smaller rivers.


Even if rain were to fall at a normal rate for the remainder of the spring, the consequences of what has already happened in the Midwest will affect way of live, property, agriculture and travel/shipping/navigation for weeks in the region.


-CNN.com

I am starting to forget what bright sunshine feels like and that I have had days where rain has not fallen.  Our backyard is a swamp, the rain water has been seeping in under the basement door and running in streams across the floor and into the drain near the washing machine.  Soccer and baseball practices and games have been canceled for weeks.  There is a sink hole in the parking lot at Kellogg where soccer games are held.  Cirque du Soleil's traveling show 'Ovo' is set up at Coney Island which is about ten minutes from our house.  The amusement park is located on the banks of the Ohio and their extravagant blue and yellow tents are submerged in 8 feet of water.  They refunded all the tickets.  The Great Steamboat Race in the Derby celebrations has been nixed and riverboat viewing of Thunder Over Louisville was not allowed because of the swift current and high water.  My home for sale in Lexington has water leaking into our basement ceiling. 

Sometimes I think we might just float away.

Then last night my heart stopped when I saw the footage from an F-5 tornado barreling through downtown Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  It nearly made me cry.  What a tremendous and powerful storm ripping a town apart.  Suddenly our water woes didn't seem as severe. 

I have lived in tornado areas for over a decade and the sound of the sirens always gets my heart pumping.  I take the warnings seriously, but have gratefully have been spared any really dangerous tornadoes. 

The storms that hit seven states yesterday were enormous and deadly.  I have never seen such wide spread damage and loss of life.  My heartbreaks for the people affected.

My visiting teacher is from Alabama and I was relived when I talked to her today that her family is fine.  Her sister's street was untouched, but the street over was gone.  Such a tragedy for those people. 

My prayers are with all those hurting and suffering.  Weather patterns have been extreme this year and I am grateful for our safety, but pray for those who have not been so lucky.

Cincinnati, Ohio  4/27/11

Tuscaloosa, Alabama 4/27/11