Tuesday, May 26, 2015

HOUSTON FLOODING WHAT A NIGHT

Unprecedented flooding event happened in Houston overnight.  Haven't heard from 2nd Family yet, been trying to reach them about the flooding at the farm, but this has been one for the record books in the city of Houston.  We were up until 3:00AM keeping an eye on things but just couldn't stay up any longer.  Woke up to a city under disaster status.

We are blessed that our house in town is in the higher part of the neighborhood but the city has been hard hit...


...we've had funnel clouds, wind gusts upwards of 100mph, hail, lightning like we've never seen before, and rain...lots and LOTS of rain.  Almost 8 inches at our house, many parts of town in excess of 10 inches.  This fell in just a couple of hours.  Bayous are overflowing, thousands of cars flooded, hundreds of homes flooded.  Entire freeway systems are shut down, across both sides, because water is covering all the main lanes.


During the night, the NWS issued a rare "Flash Flood Emergency" and the city went to "Level 1 Emergency Status" for the first time since Hurricane Ike, seven years ago.  The photo above is the freeway about 2 blocks over from our house.


And by daylight, it was surreal...

I-45 at North Main
This is the on-ramp we get onto to get to work.  I walked over this morning to take this picture. Needless to say, I won't be going this direction.  I'm in the insurance business, so I need to get to work to start taking claims, once I can make it to work this morning of course, I'll find out how bad it is...and it will be a long day...a very long day.

More tonight when I get home...

For those who want to see more pics, use Twitter, you don't have to have a twitter account.  Click here:  #houstonflood


46 comments:

  1. Omg! Stay safe. Prayers to you and your fellow Texans.

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  2. Water, water, everywhere! So glad y’all did not get flooded out at your house; prayers for all who did.
    It’s crazy - I’m only about 70 miles SW of you but (thankfully) got only an inch of rain last night.
    Take care and stay safe!

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    1. An inch? Wow! I've lost count here, 8, 9, 10, 11 inches the last few days?

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  3. I was just about to send you an email. Thanks for posting that you guys are ok. Crossing fingers & saying a little prayer that farm house & property are ok as well. Keep us posted & stay safe.

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    1. Thank you for thinking of us. The property is apparently waterlogged but ok. Crazy weather....

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  4. My prayers go out to all. It is so very sad to see something like this. The weather is dramatically changing and I truly believe man's climate geoengineering is causing serious consequences. Do be careful and stay safe.

    It has been a sad week. I looked out my window this morning and a neighborhood cat was dead in my driveway. I don't know who he belonged to or if he was feral, but I would see him a lot going through my yard and he would always run if he saw me. Fortunately my neighbor was home and he came and got him to bury. I don't believe I could of done it. It really has upset me. I will miss him.

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    1. I am with you. Definitely think the same thing.

      Oh my, such a sad thing, even the feral kitties can leave footprints on our heart...sending warm thoughts your way.

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  5. I'm glad to know you are safe. I was visiting my mom and dad when the Boulder flood hit (where they live). It is amazing how easily it is to take down a city. They lived in the mountains and it took months for them to the canyon road drivable again. They had to go west on a dirt road hours around to get out. Hopefully it won't be so bad there. Or take so long to fix the roads.

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    1. Oh my, you are so right, at 5pm on Monday, it was just a normal afternoon, by midnight the city as overwhelmed and people were being flooded out of their homes. I will give credit though, the city has cleaned things up SO fast now that the water has drained away. The cars are all gone and towed away and the street cleaning trucks have cleaned most major roads.

      Thank you!!

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  6. I have been following that and it looks grim indeed. I hope you get through it with minimal damage and stress.

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    1. Thank you kind sir for your thoughts!! We have minimal damage, but were kinda stressed, ha. Thanks again.

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  7. Good to hear that you are safe and that you are ok.
    Have seen some of them pictures on the news here.
    These rains sure are taking a toll on everyone around; not just in Texas but all over.
    My thoughts and prayers go out to all those that have been effected by these flood waters and to all those who have lost their homes, those who have lost their lives and their families
    God bless all the emergency crews who come to the rescue in saving lives.
    Do be careful and stay safe.

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    1. Isn't it crazy? So sad, and as bad as Houston is, those poor families and people in Wimberley Texas as well...so much sadness.

      Thank you!!

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  8. Oh my goodness, that is just a horrible amount of water... Stay safe and hopefully this will all be gone!

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    1. Unbelievable amount of water. Thank you for checking on us!

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  9. Yikes. always nerve wracking waiting to see what dawn will show. your job will keep your mind and heart full of it too, so be xtra good to yourself & each other will the world rights itself. Herbal tea & extra vitamins won't do you any harm either.

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    1. Yes, dawn was stunning to see how widespread the damage was.

      What kind things to say, thank you for that. You're right, my job does keep it with me longer than it should. Thank you!

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  10. Glad you weren't flooded and hope the farm is on high ground. I was in a flash flood on Braeswood once. The water came up and in my car door in a minute. The car died and I was 9 months pregnant. It really does happen in a flash. It was a low place in the road. Oh, when will the rain end? It comes from there right up through here. I am trying to fill sink holes from run-off up before they get larger.

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    1. Definitely. You know exactly what we all went through. Yes, the water rose VERY quickly. Braeswood was one of the harder hit areas, along with us here in the Heights.

      Stay safe too!

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  11. Oh my goodness! I live in Asia and have seen horrific flooding in Manila where there is simply no infrastructure and everything is lost. I've not really seen this kind of flooding in America. Wow. I'm glad that the loss seems to be limited to cars and houses. I can imagine you sitting up all night worried. I hope the farm is okay, but I'm exceptionally grateful to hear that YOU are okay. Wow. Thanks for the update.

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    1. Well hello and thanks for stopping by. Thanks for the kind words and thoughts from across the seas. It is an unusual event for here. We're ok and no damage, other than frazzled nerves. Thanks!!!

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  12. My heart breaks for all this danger and destruction. Stay safe.

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    1. Thank you, ours does too to watch it on the TV and see places we know and recognize. It makes it so much more personal.

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  13. oh my goodness - THAT is crazy! i hope that both of you stay safe! and warm! and i hope that Second Family is ok, as well! sending much love!

    your friend,
    kymber

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    1. 2nd Family is good, funny story coming up about them on Friday. Thank you again, we feel your love. It means a lot.

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  14. Be careful out there - the news is even on our TV in South Africa.

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    1. Wow, I didn't know we made it that far away too. Thank you for the thoughts!

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  15. Praying for you and 2nd family. Please give us an update when you are able.

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    1. Thanks, hopefully you saw the update. We're safe, out of danger and the farm is, other than waterlogged, ok as well.

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  16. Stay safe. It will truly be a long day at work, I'm sure!

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    1. Oh, long is not EVEN the word, ha. thanks!!

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  17. Glad to hear your house is okay.....my heart goes out to those suffering from the storm damage. I used to work as a personal lines underwriter so can just imagine what you are in for over the next few weeks.

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    1. Oh, yes, so tragic. An underwriter, yay! I'm on the sales side but we have to take the claims and deal with the problems inherent with the claims, renting cars, getting adjusters out to the homes, etc. It will be busy busy for sure. Thank you!

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  18. What incredible weather! Glad to hear you are high and dry there at home in Houston. More of these storms in all our futures as the globe warms.

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    1. Unbelievable and incredible. We watch our nightly news and are still dumbfounded. I think the weather is definitely changing, and sadly, not for the better.

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  19. 1st Man,

    You'll be busy for a while with insurance claims. Stay safe, and be careful....you don't know what's in standing water. Areas of Oklahoma are the same way.
    Hugs,
    Sandy

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    1. Very busy....and yes, the standing water, we see people walking around on and we always say to ourselves, "they don't know whats in that water!". I know you all have had record floods as well. You stay safe too!!!

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