Friends, it is with a heavy heart to say that the destruction of homes, businesses, historic buildings, etc. occurred in my new home town, Ellicott City. I saw this horrible event first hand. Two people met their demise in what could be estimated as a five hundred year (or greater) intensity storm.
Many friends and loved ones are homeless and/or lost their building and its contents. Many people need prayers and support, please, and thank you.
I posted videos here this past Sunday. Videos made it on Youtube in record time (and from what I was able to discern, was used by the local tv stations).
One thing that stood out to me (and my father) while watching the videos was that the electricity was on the entire time and very visible in the houses. How the electric didn't get knocked out is beyond me.
Last night on the "news", one business owner was interviewed: she said all of her fall stock was in the basement which got flooded, all inventory lost. No flood insurance either. Historic Ellicott City is a known flood area. I was under the impression (apparently wrongly) that all dwellings within a known flood area are required to have flood insurance (perhaps only if one has a loan on the dwelling?).
Sympathies go out to those who were devastated by the flooding. One of the drawbacks with historic areas is that everyone, except Mother Nature, wants to keep them as they were.
Having had family who have been devastated by floods my heart goes out to them. The news here said they had 6 inches of rain in 2 hours, WOW. We get that intensity here on occasion but it only lasts a few minutes.
Andy
John, post: 383823, member: 791 wrote: I posted videos here this past Sunday. Videos made it on Youtube in record time (and from what I was able to discern, was used by the local tv stations).
One thing that stood out to me (and my father) while watching the videos was that the electricity was on the entire time and very visible in the houses. How the electric didn't get knocked out is beyond me.
Last night on the "news", one business owner was interviewed: she said all of her fall stock was in the basement which got flooded, all inventory lost. No flood insurance either. Historic Ellicott City is a known flood area. I was under the impression (apparently wrongly) that all dwellings within a known flood area are required to have flood insurance (perhaps only if one has a loan on the dwelling?).
Flood insurance is only required on properties with Federally backed mortgages.
Flood insurance is only required on properties with Federally backed mortgages.
and in a special flood hazard area.
Thank you for the well wishes. Many buildings are condemned now, some of them are at a structural failure point.
Friends and neighbors are working on what we can where we can. Sad days
below is joan eve's shop, before and after
this is sweet elizabeth jane, before and after. this building lost partition walls, storefront, and brick wall in the back
In days of old, being located as close to water as possible, for many reasons, was critical . Fortunately, today most new development can be situated outside of flood hazard areas whether that be at 10 msl or 10,000 msl. Maintaining historical areas, as we see in this thread, can be difficult from a simple dollars and cents analysis. As a historian and genealogist I love old stuff so this sort of thing hurts, even from a distance.
Of course, for those interested, one can "survey" the area via google maps (or bing maps, whatever).
@39.2675562,-76.7957323,17z/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x89c81fa0047308c9:0x21549a4ba5b864c6"> https://www.google.com/maps/place/Main+St,+Ellicott+City,+MD+21043/ @39.2675562,-76.7957323,17z/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x89c81fa0047308c9:0x21549a4ba5b864c6
I slightly knew one of the two that perished in the flood. Joe Blevins was the best buddy of a very good friend of mine. They went to college at Virginia Tech together. Joe was a great father and person.
If anybody would like to contribute to his GoFundMe page, here's the link: https://www.gofundme.com/2hjaae4
Very sad tragedy.
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Mo- hopefully the community salvages all that they can from the old buildings in order to incorporate it into the new structures.
For example the stamped tin ceiling tiles, bricks, old windows and doors, light fixtures, ect.
The city should hire an architect and structural engineer to work with business owners in order to shore up the old buildings and rebuild with the idea of promoting the atmosphere of small town America.
We had an historic flood like that in April. No deaths, only property damage.
If a particular watershed gets a severe torrential soak, then flash flood will happen quick.
Water is a powerful force of nature.
I have seen buildings look like they have been hit by a train or 18 wheelers but it was from rushing or surging flood
water. The whole town of Waveland, MS was washed away by one Katrina surge wave.
Recently had to give the boys the lecture about swimming in the local river when water is up and rising. Get caught in one whirlpool and that's that. It's all over.
Just tragic - glad you are OK.
These tragedies happen all too often and I hope we don't become galvanized to the destruction and loss of life. Eddie, you and Ellicott City will recover. It may take more time then you realize, and take much more work on the behalf of those not directly affected but it will recover. I've been there and done that. Several times, including Mt. St. Helens and Katrina.
I have just returned from a vacation in Italy where we spent several days in a town called Vernazza which in 2011 experienced a flood of epic proportions. Bucket by Bucket they have restored the city to a sparkling and beautiful place as it once was. To be inspired take a couple minutes and watch [MEDIA=youtube]_QSstGcwUL4[/MEDIA]
Stay positive my friend.
Dan
Eddie man, we are with you in spirit.
Thank you all. We are collectively strong. Weepy at moments, but the sum of the parts is truly impressive.
