I'm getting worried that he & his may have needed to EVACUATE due to Hurricane Harvey "overflowing" into his Louisiana parish

Thanks for looking out!

I live in a suburb of New Orleans, which (so far) is south and east of most of the action. The closest catastrophe to me (so far) is flooding from Lake Pontchartrain very near to the home of my son and grandchildren. I don't think the water reached their house, but I am waiting for a reply to a text that I sent about an hour ago.

Our concern in my area is mostly for our neighbors to the west. My company has several branches in the affected areas, including our regional headquarters in Houston. Having experienced the same exact tragedy in our past, we are concentrating much of our energy in trying to speed relief to them. My brother-in-law is afire captain and SAR team member, and his unit has been deployed to the Houston area.

There will be much editorializing after things begin to stabilize, but I am having great difficulty in suppressing my outrage at how the municipal leaders in that area failed to prepare for the predicted circumstances that they find their citizens in. For now, all I wish to say to anyone who lives in an area prone to tropical weather and flooding is, "shelter in place" does not work. Surviving the initial flooding is only the beginning. many people don't wish to be rescued until they start running out of food and water or the lights go out., and, by then, it may be impossible to get resources in.

It will take not months but years for Houston to recover. God speed and God bless them.

 Quote: Duane Hull

It will take not months but years for Houston to recover. God speed and God bless them.

I agree with your sentiments, Duane. I'm glad you are all right. I hope by now you have heard from your son.

I'm also worried about Carolyn Pike Roman. She lists her location as San Antonio. I know that is quite a bit farther inland than the areas the got the worst hurricane damage and rainfall so far, but I think they still got some pretty rough weather. Carolyn, I hope you and your loved ones are all right and that you will be able to let us know soon how you fared.

 Quote: Duane Hull

Thanks for looking out!

I live in a suburb of New Orleans, which (so far) is south and east of most of the action. The closest catastrophe to me (so far) is flooding from Lake Pontchartrain very near to the home of my son and grandchildren. I don't think the water reached their house, but I am waiting for a reply to a text that I sent about an hour ago.

Our concern in my area is mostly for our neighbors to the west. My company has several branches in the affected areas, including our regional headquarters in Houston. Having experienced the same exact tragedy in our past, we are concentrating much of our energy in trying to speed relief to them. My brother-in-law is afire captain and SAR team member, and his unit has been deployed to the Houston area.

There will be much editorializing after things begin to stabilize, but I am having great difficulty in suppressing my outrage at how the municipal leaders in that area failed to prepare for the predicted circumstances that they find their citizens in. For now, all I wish to say to anyone who lives in an area prone to tropical weather and flooding is, "shelter in place" does not work. Surviving the initial flooding is only the beginning. many people don't wish to be rescued until they start running out of food and water or the lights go out., and, by then, it may be impossible to get resources in.

It will take not months but years for Houston to recover. God speed and God bless them.

So glad to hear you're all right, Duane And hopefully everything is also OK with your son & his family as well !!! But yes, it is bad advice to "shelter in place" when flood waters may be expected to rise 80 FEET above normal levels; though I do appreciate that folks are worried about leaving their homes vulnerable to LOOTERS -- What does 80 feet equal, about 8 STORIES in height ??? My cousins in Houston voluntarily EVACUATED early, way up to Longview (TX) where we have 2 family homes that can accommodate them long-term, as needed ... And so far, my other cousins in Mandeville (LA) have not been effected, because they live on "relatively" high ground.

It's my youngest cousin's family who live in Houston -- He turned 66 years old this June, and I'm wondering if retiring to Longview permanently is now front-&-center on their minds ... That sure would be my plan, under similar prospects for the future.

Great to hear from you Duane! I didn't realize until now that you live near New Orleans. My husband and I watch regularly CNN and so we remember the Hurricane Katrina about 12 or 13 years ago. it was devastating. And now Harvey in and around Houston is so much worse.

I too hope you'll hear soon from your son and other loved ones, hopefully that they were not and are not in danger.

It was already horrible and terryfing enough to watch all this via TV from a safe place. I think no one who hasn't had to experience something like this can reallly imagine it.

Carolyn, I do hope very much that you're doing well. If I've understood the news reports right San Antonio was spared from Harvey itself but was affected due to the strong winds and torrential rainfalls. I fear you might have much more important things to do than writing to us. But if you get the possibility and the time, please tell us how you are. We all here wish you all the best.

Sorry that I'm just now getting back to this. Outside of trying to send relief, we felt little impact from Harvey, and I had gotten busy with work.

The floodwaters from Lake Pontchartrain did not quite reach my son's house. His normal routine was not interrupted, either. He is just not real good at responding to communications.

Candy, not sure where the 80 feet figure came from. The low-lying areas of Houston took on several feet of water. Houston, like New Orleans, is at or below sea level, so it doesn't take much to flood, but sea level was definitely not 80 feet above normal.

Christina, yes we survived Katrina. That was a very different type of event, but no less catastrophic than Harvey. 2300 lives were lost in Katrina in a city 1/5th the size of Houston because many people did not heed the mandatory evacuation orders. The flooding was worse in New Orleans and Misisissippi than it was for Harvey. The problem in Houston for Harvey was that the Mayor called for everyone to stay rather than evacuate, so many people got stuck in their homes. In New Orleans during Katrina, the water got too high and people who were trapped in their homes perished.

 Quote: Duane Hull

Sorry that I'm just now getting back to this. Outside of trying to send relief, we felt little impact from Harvey, and I had gotten busy with work.

The floodwaters from Lake Pontchartrain did not quite reach my son's house. His normal routine was not interrupted, either. He is just not real good at responding to communications.

Candy, not sure where the 80 feet figure came from. The low-lying areas of Houston took on several feet of water. Houston, like New Orleans, is at or below sea level, so it doesn't take much to flood, but sea level was definitely not 80 feet above normal.

Christina, yes we survived Katrina. That was a very different type of event, but no less catastrophic than Harvey. 2300 lives were lost in Katrina in a city 1/5th the size of Houston because many people did not heed the mandatory evacuation orders. The flooding was worse in New Orleans and Misisissippi than it was for Harvey. The problem in Houston for Harvey was that the Mayor called for everyone to stay rather than evacuate, so many people got stuck in their homes. In New Orleans during Katrina, the water got too high and people who were trapped in their homes perished.

Happy to hear that your son's family also missed any damage, Duane -- News cast had reported last week that an 80 foot Flood Surge was expected for Houston ... Glad to learn that was WRONG

So glad to hear you'and your family are fine!

About Katrina I obviously not remembered correctly. I knew it was extremely horrible but thought that Harvey had even caused more desvastation. And now Irma is a new big danger. I hope it will choose a way where it can't cause such a lot of damage.

Candy, I think the flood surge was closer to 20 feet, but that was felt more along the immediate coast. The hurricane struck to the west of Houston, so they didn't get the full impact of the storm surge. You are right, I don't recall the exact number, but had the storm struck directly in Galveston Bay, Houston would be in much worse shape than they actually were.

It's such a relief to hear from folks who are all right. I think I'll make a thread that Carolyn might see,
too ...

http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=35188&page=1#404626


Duane, I'm happy that you and yours are okay.