Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Georgia Flood - One Year Later

Sept. 21, 2010

1 Year Anniversary of 2009 Georgia Flood

Submitted by Holly

Today marks the 1 year anniversary since many of us were taken aback by one of the worst weather-related disasters we can recall in Georgia history. I’ll never forget waking up Monday morning after what seemed like an endless rain storm only to find my water was not working and found that rather odd. I was just glad the rains had finally stopped and had decided to get ready for work but couldn’t take a shower, so I sat down to send my boss an email and turned on the news. The scenes of flooding and stories of cars washed away just up the road came as a complete surprise!

The rains overnight had completely saturated the ground and caused even shallow creeks and rivers all around us to swell over their banks and wash out the roads in every direction! There was no way I could get to work. Even if I could have found a way to one of the main roads, there was no way across the river. All the back roads were out, and I-20 was under water at Six Flags. I had never seen anything like this in all my years of living in Georgia. The most devastating thing was hearing story after story of cars that were swept away – all within a 5 mile radius of where we live – people unaccounted for – lives that were later confirmed as lost because of the unexpected flooding that came out of nowhere in the darkness of night.

How could this be? It just seemed like a normal, rainy night when I went to bed. And now, so much devastation – dozens of homes under water; schools cancelled because the roads were impassible or the buildings were inaccessible; families hanging onto tree limbs for dear life in the swollen creeks until help would arrive (for one family, help came too late); entire communities without running water – mine for 3 days.

My home and family somehow escaped the tragedies that so many others faced all around us. We were fortunate. In the days that followed, I tried to make the most of the situation - working remotely, rationing food and going to my sister’s to shower and borrow water - and I realized how blessed we were. I was so thankful my house that I had purchased only six months earlier was in that particular subdivision, and sitting on that slight elevation – just a stone’s throw from one of the creeks that covered the road behind us. I was thankful my friend was out of town when her home in Austell was flooded, but I wondered if she had received word yet half-way around the world. I was thankful I had a job where I could work from home in a situation such as this. Most of all, I was thankful my son was not driving home from his dad’s when that section of road just two miles from our house was washed away in the pouring rain and darkness of night!

Today I am grateful we survived this epic event and hope our friends and neighbors are putting their lives back together. What are you thankful for today?

Holly is a freelance writer.

For temporary help with your next emergency or planned project, click here.