dannylion
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Gravity is a harsh mistress
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Post by dannylion on Jul 31, 2016 6:18:39 GMT -5
I was really annoyed this morning to find that my cable TV was still out after the storm.
Then I checked the news to see how the historic district of my town fared since it's located in a narrow valley right on the banks of the Patapsco River and there was news of flooding last night. Now I'm just really sad and feeing very grateful to be located on higher ground.
Main Street Ellicott City
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mollyanna58
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Post by mollyanna58 on Jul 31, 2016 6:52:20 GMT -5
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Jul 31, 2016 7:01:09 GMT -5
Wow--sorry to hear.
Perspective does has a way of forcing us to take stock.
Hope your town is mended soon.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Jul 31, 2016 7:19:44 GMT -5
Wow I know it rained quite a bit last night. Didn't know there was flooding though.
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Jul 31, 2016 7:20:33 GMT -5
I hope things are back to normal soon!
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TheHaitian
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Post by TheHaitian on Jul 31, 2016 7:21:19 GMT -5
Sorry to hear!
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dannylion
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Post by dannylion on Jul 31, 2016 8:34:25 GMT -5
Wow I know it rained quite a bit last night. Didn't know there was flooding though. Yeah, apparently the western edge of Baltimore, Baltimore County, Howard County, and parts of Prince George's and Anne Arundel Counties got almost 5 inches of rain in a very short period of time. The Patapsco River is really constricted to a narrow valley channel as it goes through Ellicott City, which is right on the banks. There actually used to be a building that straddled the river, but it was destroyed by an arsonist about 20 years ago. The whole length of Main Street is basically trashed, and everything on the ground floors and basements of all the buildings is a complete loss. That's where all the businesses were, so it's going to be hard on a lot of folks. There are a lot of homes along the river as well and a lot were badly damaged.
There have been significant floods in old EC in the past, so it's not unprecedented. Historic EC has a lot of small businesses and shops and restaurants and is a popular shopping and dining area as well as a tourist attraction, so it is certain that most everything will be rebuilt and very likely that it will be done quickly since this is an affluent area. I hope all the folks with businesses and homes in the path of the flood had flood insurance, though I would expect it is probably pretty expensive since the whole town is basically categorized as a flood plane. It's an old mill town, built on the river to drive the millstones and other water-driven industrial equipment. Being right on top of the river was actually a good thing then. Not so much now.
The county government website has started posting daylight pictures. It's hard to take it all in. So sad for all the affected residents and small businesspeople. And now there's confirmation of at least 1 fatality. So sad.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Jul 31, 2016 11:41:07 GMT -5
That's horrible so much flooding happening this year.
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ken a.k.a OMK
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Post by ken a.k.a OMK on Jul 31, 2016 11:48:09 GMT -5
dannylion I didn't know you lived there. Saw the video this morning. That stretch is prone to flooding but that's the worst I've ever seen. We are vacationing in Ocean City. Might get storms tonight. Be safe.
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on Jul 31, 2016 12:11:37 GMT -5
Aw crap...I love Ellicott City - first a big fire a few years back and now this? My brother lives in Baltimore, not far from there.
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dannylion
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Post by dannylion on Jul 31, 2016 12:46:01 GMT -5
dannylion I didn't know you lived there. Saw the video this morning. That stretch is prone to flooding but that's the worst I've ever seen. We are vacationing in Ocean City. Might get storms tonight. Be safe. The daylight photos we're seeing now of the aftermath are just heartbreaking. Debris smashed through the ground-floor windows of a lot of businesses, and then the flood just washed everything away. The sidewalks are all gone, many turned into deep ditches, big chunks of the pavement washed away from Main Street.
Apparently we got nearly 5 inches or rain in the space of about 2 hours. The river is really narrow in that area, and it just couldn't handle all the water. When I first came here in 1976, EC was still recovering from the flooding from Hurricane Agnes. It was several years before the buildings lost that weird "flood" smell. EC is a fairly significant tourist attraction in Maryland, so it will surely be restored, just waiting for the next flood since there's not a lot anyone can do about the location. People are already lining up to volunteer to help with the restoration, so that's brought a bit of cheer, and Preservation Maryland has started a fund drive.
I hope your storms, if you get them, are less dramatic. I live about 2 miles from the historic area on higher ground, so our neighborhood was relatively unscathed. Some of the streets flooded a couple of blocks away but there was no property damage, and a small tributary of the Patapsco River that goes through the next neighborhood over flooded but didn't reach the houses, just the back yards.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2016 15:23:21 GMT -5
I am so sorry for your community. The waters take away so much more than buildings-they take away income and businesses and employment and hope. It sounds like your community will be strong and come together to overcome the losses. That's what strong townd do and they become even stronger in the process.
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dannylion
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Gravity is a harsh mistress
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Post by dannylion on Jul 31, 2016 15:49:21 GMT -5
Okay, I'm going to whine just a teensy bit. Besides the cable TV, my garage-door opener doesn't work, there is a snake in my garage, and my neighbor's tree is in the process of falling over onto my fence. Okay, I'm done whining now.
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Jul 31, 2016 18:19:21 GMT -5
We used to love going to Ellicott City when we lived in the Washington DC area almost 30 years ago. Those pictures are so sad.
Thanks for posting some of the history, I do recall that it was subject to flooding on a regular basis.
Hope the crisis brings out the best in your community and makes it better than it was before.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jul 31, 2016 18:27:56 GMT -5
Okay, I'm going to whine just a teensy bit. Besides the cable TV, my garage-door opener doesn't work, there is a snake in my garage, and my neighbor's tree is in the process of falling over onto my fence. Okay, I'm done whining now.
Dannylion:(
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sesfw
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Post by sesfw on Jul 31, 2016 21:46:45 GMT -5
dang ...... this is sad ........ hope things quiet down a bit and real damage turns out to be minimal
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dannylion
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Post by dannylion on Aug 1, 2016 6:10:05 GMT -5
dang ...... this is sad ........ hope things quiet down a bit and real damage turns out to be minimal
We were all hoping that daylight and inspection would bring better news, but it just kept getting worse. The cost of recovery is being placed in the "hundreds of millions." The ground floor and basement levels of many of the buildings on Main Street were basically wiped out. Some businesses sustained just water damage, but the water reached nearly ceiling height on the first floor, so that was significant. Many businesses were scoured clean of their entire interiors when debris smashed the windows or doors and the huge volume of fast-moving water carried everything away, including some interior structures. The sidewalks (which had been newly replaced with brick not so long ago) are gone and there are sinkholes in the street where huge chunks of pavement were carried away. When the sidewalks and street went, large areas of the soil structure were washed away under many buildings, which are now unstable. And there were 2 fatalities: Two young people (35 and 38) unable to escape when their cars were overwhelmed by the flash flood. It's hard to take it all in.
It has been very heartening to see how the community has reacted. Other businesses in the county are stepping up to offer temporary space to the affected businesses, restaurants feeding the emergency personnel and displaced residents, state and county government already planning for the recovery. People volunteering to help out with the rebuilding. And, of course, the Red Cross. It's going to be a very long time, though, before Main Street is open for business again.
EC Flood
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2016 19:10:12 GMT -5
OH Dannylion, I saw the damage on the Today show this a.m. and it was awful. This will be a tremendous challenge for your community, but I very strongly believe you can overcome it. If you have a moment and a $, please get the book "This is Where You Belong, the Art & Science of Loving Where You Live" and for now, just read Chapter 11, "Stay Loyal". Actually, this book is so powerful I bought 5 copies more copies after I read mine so I would love to send you a free copy; just PM me. Chapter 11 speaks to communities that are challenged in the fundamental way your community is affected and the ways in which those communities survive and thrive. For tonight, prayers and love your way.
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dannylion
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Gravity is a harsh mistress
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Post by dannylion on Aug 1, 2016 19:34:45 GMT -5
Thanks for the kind words, donethat. I think we will be fine. There are a lot of historical preservation organizations in Maryland and lots and lots of money in Howard County, and funds are already pledged or being raised and work has already started. Historic Ellicott City is a big tourist attraction in Maryland, so the state has been very quick to mobilize resources. I think we might be surprised at how fast things get back to normal. It's going to be difficult for the people who had businesses damaged or destroyed, but it is to be hoped that insurance was in place to offset at least part of the losses and help them get started again. In the end, though, it's just stuff and stuff can be replaced. In the process of rebuilding, I hope we don't forget to reflect on the two lives that were lost.
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Aug 1, 2016 22:29:13 GMT -5
Thanks for the kind words, donethat. I think we will be fine. There are a lot of historical preservation organizations in Maryland and lots and lots of money in Howard County, and funds are already pledged or being raised and work has already started. Historic Ellicott City is a big tourist attraction in Maryland, so the state has been very quick to mobilize resources. I think we might be surprised at how fast things get back to normal. It's going to be difficult for the people who had businesses damaged or destroyed, but it is to be hoped that insurance was in place to offset at least part of the losses and help them get started again. In the end, though, it's just stuff and stuff can be replaced. In the process of rebuilding, I hope we don't forget to reflect on the two lives that were lost. One of the things that gives me faith in humanity is how well a community can come together in a crisis. I swear that when times are good we find more excuses of how to behave badly and selfishly when in the end it's all just stuff.
Keep the faith.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Aug 2, 2016 11:14:00 GMT -5
This reminds me of when, after the tornado went through here in 2011 and DH and I were out trying to find tarps to tie over the place where our roof used to be (most of the local stores quickly sold out of tarps) we were listening to the car radio and some woman called in mad as hell because the storms cut out her cable and she didn't get to see the final episode of one of those competition shows. She was ranting against the cable company.
The radio show host, who had spent the previous day sending out tornado warnings and letting people know which roads were closed, and the current day letting people know where communities had set up shelters for people who were suddenly homeless or who needed a hot meal, plus the awful task of updating the local death toll, lost all his professionalism and tore into her ass right there on the radio.
Sometimes we do need to adjust our perspective .
(Having survived that, though, I can tell you, your community will come together in ways that amaze you).
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Aug 2, 2016 17:41:58 GMT -5
This reminds me of when, after the tornado went through here in 2011 and DH and I were out trying to find tarps to tie over the place where our roof used to be (most of the local stores quickly sold out of tarps) we were listening to the car radio and some woman called in mad as hell because the storms cut out her cable and she didn't get to see the final episode of one of those competition shows. She was ranting against the cable company.
The radio show host, who had spent the previous day sending out tornado warnings and letting people know which roads were closed, and the current day letting people know where communities had set up shelters for people who were suddenly homeless or who needed a hot meal, plus the awful task of updating the local death toll, lost all his professionalism and tore into her ass right there on the radio.
Sometimes we do need to adjust our perspective .
(Having survived that, though, I can tell you, your community will come together in ways that amaze you).
Your post made me smile.
I kept thinking that dannylion was thanking her diplomatic skills that she didn't call up the radio station and give a public "What for" that the cable was out.
There's a reason this is such a great place to vent!
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