Disaster In My Region: AW Check In Thread (Tornadoes, Floods)

Puma

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Not a real disaster, but made me realize even more what people in disaster areas suffer.

We had a thunderstorm Friday night - it didn't seem too bad, but then the lights went out. And stayed out. Apparently one of the company suppliers was affected by the storm (but we never found out more about it). And then the telephones went.

The power finally came back on this morning after being out for 33 hours. Phones came back about 3 hours later.

Yesterday was one of the longest days I can remember in a long time ... with none of my creature comforts and high tech toys to play with. Our worst damage was a flooded basement because the sump pump needs power to run and we lost some of the things in the refrigerator and freezer.

But so minor in comparison to the other items in this thread and such a discomfort to experience. But, it really made me stop and think how fortunate we are and what a rotten time everyone in the real disaster areas experience. Puma
 

Chase

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My brother and friends write of current spring floods and tornados in Montana. Only a couple people lost their loves in flash floods (two is two too many) and 150 head of cattle dead from one twister. As usual, the folks cowboy up and deal with it under the radar of national media.
 

Puma

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You're right, Chase. There are so many local events that never receive notice. But they really hurt the people affected by them. Puma
 

mccardey

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Not the usual sort of disaster, I know - but I'd like to see an end to the London riots. Now would be good.
 

Puma

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Sounds like a mess in London and now Birmingham. You're right mccardey, not the usual sort of disaster, but defintely a disaster. Hope things quiet down soon. Puma
 

MacAllister

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We've had a couple of our Londoner AWers checking in periodically in the Politics forum -- but there are a great many more we've not heard from yet.

This is so very awful.
 

tirial

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I'm alright (Croydon) but I've got friends I can't contact. Mobiles and web as a bit dodgy right now.

I'm torn between heading in to see if they are alright, and staying well away to avoid hampering the cleanup.
 

Thump

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I'm good. There were a couple of cars set alight a few minutes away but it was more a bunch of people from the nearby estate than a real effort. They tried to start something up in Edgware which is very near but the police stopped them before it got started.

I hope it's dying down and won't start up again. The amusing thing though (you gotta see the funny in life) is that the underground and buses are running fine. This is hilarious if you have any experience of being a London commuter. A little snow?the system comes to a halt. Chaos and mayhem and buildings set alight? Bah!

Looks I'm going to work after all...
 

MacAllister

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Chaos and mayhem and buildings set alight? Bah!
Thump, how very English. <grin>

Thank you so much for checking in, both of you -- it's always so difficult having to watch from afar, when you know you've got friends in the thick of things.

May tomorrow be better, bringing some resolution, some peace and quiet, and some healing.
 
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Anne Lyle

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All quiet here on the edge of one of Britain's smaller (and most wealthy) cities. I knew I moved out of London back in '98 for a number of good reasons, but I never thought "avoiding riots" was going to be one of them :(

ETA - top story today from BBC Cambridgeshire is a scheme to build the county's first purpose-built mosque. Nothing dramatic ever happens here. Well, almost never. Still, it's almost ten years since the Soham murders that hit the news headlines.
 
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Shara

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I'm a couple of miles away from Croydon. Fortunately not affected, but we were up till 1am watching the news. We know the town well - so disturbing to see familiar buildings burning to the ground.

Today everyone's at work as normal, but those that live in the affected areas are telling scary stories of having to dodge gangs and riot police on their way home last night, and watching TV footage of their high streets being looted and burned.

Scary stuff.

Shara
 

mirandashell

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Things seem fairly calm here. Sporadic bouts of robbing but nothing on the scale of last night.
 

mirandashell

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And thank you to everyone who sent me messages of support. It's very much appreciated.
 

beechnut79

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And thank you to everyone who sent me messages of support. It's very much appreciated.

What happened in London over the past few days is quite reminiscent of what occurred in many US cities in the 1960's. I have been predicting some unrest here over economic conditions for quite some time but so far hasn't happened on a broad scale unless you could count when public workers and their supporters took to the streets in Wisconsin a while back.
 

HarryHoskins

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Disaster In My Region

Mudslide in the windy canyon narrowly averted after misjudged dinner.

Things settled now. :)
 

Fenika

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Huricane Irene, or whatever she is classed as now, brought down at least one pretty decent sized tree in my yard. It missed the house by several feet and the guinea fowl by two feet.

Do not like.
 

Fenika

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Irene has hit land again (Jersey) and the power is more off than on these last two minutes. I am glad I had breakfast.

Where is everyone else? Sleeping?? Sans electricity?

...power still off. I guess it will be for awhile. Thank goodness for iPhones.
 

seaaircarol

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Stay safe, Fenika. Glad you are all right (although it sounds scary!) My thoughts are with you and with everyone else in the affected areas.
 

VTwriter

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What's left of Irene is dropping tons of rain in the Vermont mountains. Power blips several times an hour, but it's still hanging in there. I'm watching trees bend in the wind, amazed that they're not snapping in two.
 

zanzjan

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Yeah, it looks like downtown Brattleboro is badly flooded. Further south, we've got serious flooding down here in MA, with parts of both Deerfield and Shelbourne Falls supposedly underwater. The Bridge of Flowers appears to be mostly if not entirely submerged. )-: