The flooding around here is just devastating!

[Deed]

As you know, we live in the country and up on a hill. Yes, we have had tons and tons of rain over the last week or so, but I had no idea how bad things were down in my parents area.

First let me say all my family is fine. My parents, brother and his family and sis and her family all live on hills, so their homes are not in danger. Haven't gotten a hold of my parents yet, but did just speak with my nephew and he said they are fine, just probably out and about.

We have been under (my county and many many more) a state of emergency for 2 days now along with a 6pm curfew. They just lifted it this morning. No unnecessary travel what-so-ever so the rescue people etc... could get around.

Down where I used to work in Conklin, 4 homes exploded from natural gas leaks. They are completely under water and one lady on a forum the county set up for the purpose of finding out how loved ones are said that helicopters were going non-stop all night rescuing people. Many have been evacuated all over the area by locals, the Coast Guard and Army Reserves. Lots of schools are being used as shelter areas for the displaced.

What is sad is I have had to read all this on the net. We don't get a local TV station out here. I was hearing bits and pieces of it on the radio yesterday, but they were not giving the true devastation all around us. Could be because no one can get around to find out.

A section of I-88 (a major interstate in New York) completely washed away taking the life of 2 truck drivers. This is the route I take to go to Chelle's.

Where Jack used to work in Vestal, that area is entirely under water too. The river crest stage is 18 feet, it finally crested yesterday at 4pm at 34 feet!

Just spoke to Jack's on sister Jean and she is okay but still haven't gotten a hold of his younger sister Nettie. She lives in Scranton, PA and it is really bad down there. She is way up on a hill, so they are most likely okay though.

Many many people are without power and will be for possibly weeks according to our local electric and gas company. Crews are coming in from all over the state to help out.

The people that have been rescued and taken to shelters left with the clothes on their backs, so lots and lots of help is going to be needed. The Red Cross is asking for donations of food, clothing, blankets etc...

Gosh I just feel like I am living in a bubble out here to not even know what has been going on in my own area!

Here are some pictures that residents have sent to our local paper of the flooding. www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=CB&Dato=20060628&Kategori=NEWS01&Lopenr=606280804&Ref=PH

I'm trying to think of where my parents could possibly be. They have 3 ways to get off their hill, 2 of which are completely under water, so they must have gone over the hill to go shopping or whatever. I know all my dad's family is in the Hancock, NY area and they are bad off too.

Ugh.... I'll update as I find out what is going on....

[cara]

Oh Deed, I know first hand the type of problems and worries that flooding can cause. I will be in prayer for your family and all those affected by the heavy rains. Hugs..

[violet]

Deed I don't know quite what to say, but I sure hope you hear from your parents soon, and that the water recedes quickly. It's just awful. ((hugs))

[braided-rug]

I lived a places that flooded all my life except the last three years. I haven't ever heard of anything like that. When would be the last time the water was that high?

We had one in '93 and '74. A whole paddock of my farm disappeared and a man came off the edge of a washed out bridge that we had driven on hours before. We were cut off for a little while.

In '93 I was in hospital having a baby. The flood happened the next day. A bus with people in it fell into the flood water. I heard army trucks going up and down all night while I was in hospital and the helicopters first came to our town to do with the bus situation and I still don't like hearing them because of that, they landed near our house and then later made a helipad. One night a few years later I woke to the chopper right over my head. Not funny.

Luckily we don't live there now and live on a hill well away from the river. However, the river here is much bigger so much scarier.

People tend to walk around outside, maybe you have just been unlucky calling them. I hope so.

[Deed]

Sorry I didn't get back to you all yesterday, we had more vicious thunderstorms come through so I shut down the computer and unplugged it. We had one computer fry once due to a storm, so don't take any chances now. Too expensive! LOL

I did finally get a hold of my mom yesterday, they are fine and yes they were out picking up a prescription for mom. Good thing they went when they did, the pharmacist locked the door behind my dad and wasn't going to even fill the prescription, but dad made him. LOL Mom has a urinary infection and really needed that antibiotic.

Lots of places are still closed, businesses, streets, one hospital was completely evacuated and will be closed for at least a week. The hospital where all my doctors are! Good thing I got all my appointments and tests out of the way already.

My younger brother drives tractor trailer for Frito Lay and he was stranded in Syracuse two days ago. When he finally was able to get back there was no one to call at Frito because they were all evacuated, the parking lot there at least was under water. So he took his rig home with him. He was afraid they would be mad at him, but when he called them, they thanked him for not leaving it on some road side pull off! They then told him where he could take it, they were storing all their rigs at a parking lot in an industrial park that was well out of danger. He said when he got there only the trailers were there no tractors. He thought well in advance when he couldn't get home to call my sil and she and my dad went to Frito and got his car out before the lot flooded. Must be the other drivers weren't so lucky as they must have had to use the tractors to get home.

One of the 4 homes that exploded in Conklin was knocked right off it's foundation and floated down the river. Luckily all those people had been evacuated before this happened.

On I-88 where the road washed away, well it washed away all right, there is a 25 foot hole! That is what those trucks fell into killing the drivers. So glad that my brother wasn't out there, he was on a different roadway. They have been calling him to go to work but he can't until this morning some time. Because of being stranded, he was way over his hours of service and had to have so many off before he could drive again.

I went to the next town over yesterday to the grocery store and our little river, the Tioughnioga (Tie-off-knee-oh-ga) generally looks like a small creek, is a raging muddy mess! It is out of it's banks, but not as bad as it could be. Not really affecting anything around here as our roads are above it, but the people up and down stream of us aren't so lucky. I'm sure many farmers fields and roads are under water.

The death toll in just my county, while is terrible, isn't as bad as it could be. I think I have heard of 4 deaths, though I don't know the cause of them. Not too much is being reported just yet on that.

I just read that we are still in a state of emergency, so no unnecessary travel is permitted as of yet. But according to my sister who works as a health care aide and has a card to be able to go to work, there are gawkers all over the place. These STUPID people are standing on raging river banks! Some people just don't have anything between their ears but air!

Thank you for all your good wishes. {{{hugs}}}

[teddymaker]

I am so glad to here that you and your family are safe and sound Deed....So sad about all the tragedy....We had flooding down here too, but not near what you had

[braided-rug]

That hole in the road, I have seen those.

What you describe is like the town my Mum lives in now. At the time I was in hospital another relative had there house flooded there. I think something had been changed with the river and the shops etc. got flooded.

I think her new house is out of the flood plain.

[violet]

Thank goodness your family are alright. It must be very frightening.

[Michelle]

I'm glad you're all okay. We went through that same kind of flooding in May. Thank goodness we didn't even get a drop of water in our basement. As a matter of fact, it was so bad here that they cancelled school in my town for a day, and in some towns they cancelled for over a week!

[lynn]

Deed,

I am so relieved to hear your family is okay. Scary stuff!

We had a major flood here in 94. Referred to as the 100 year flood. Many people died. Utter devastation like I have never seen.

[braided-rug]

It's strange I didn't think of it like that when it happened here. I would be scared for my kids as they don't know alot about rivers. I have probably forgotten alot myself.

[lucie]

Oh my goodness, Dee! I know..I saw something on tv about this floading and road split open but I didn't realize it was this bad.... I didn't even realize it was in your area...

I'm very happy to know everyone is safe from your family. And your brother did the right thing with the Frito lay trailer. Knowing my dh he would have done the same. I'm glad the company also recgonised that he handed this well. He shoudl be proud of himself.

It's scary when you see this happening...I hope you all get the support and help to restore your town ad the people's homes that have been floaded.

I'll be praying for all you. ((((HUGS)))) Keep us updated Dee.

[daddys3chicks]

HUGS Dee! I am glad your parents are okay, but how scary!

[Deed]

Thank you everyone! {{{hugs}}}

Some people have been let back into their homes to start the clean up process. You can barely find a gallon of bleach in most stores around here, they fly off the shelves as fast as they put them up!

Other families have only been let back into their homes to retrieve valuables and still others have not been let back in at all yet, too dangerous.

While most of the rivers are back in their banks and flooding has stopped, every little storm that goes through we seem to have flash flood warnings posted again, hence a lot of people do not even know what damage has been done to their homes yet.

We have been having many little (but severe) storms come through almost daily for the last week. Which is why I haven't been online much, I have had my computer unplugged most of the time. Too much a pain in the butt to keep plugging it in only to have to hurry up and unplug it because here comes another storm! LOL

According to the weather service, it looks like we may have a few nice days now. Let's hope so, so that the affected people can start to get back on their feet.