The flood of 2016 - Haughton, Louisiana, Part II

Things are a little crazy in this part of the world and so many people have lost so much. Today marks one week since the flood of 2016 reigned (pun intended) down on my hometown. Stories of survival, sacrifice, death, heartbreak, overwhelming obstacles, unwielding stress, and friends, neighbors, family, and community coming together to support each other remain in the news. 

As I said in the precursor to this series of blog posts, The flood of 2016 - Haughton, Louisiana, Part I, "no one could have prepared us for what happened". I bought my house in the Tall Timbers subdivision, Haughton, Louisiana in 1996 when I was transferred to Barksdale Air Force Base in nearby Bossier City by the military. Each year in the spring, the cold air would collide with the warm air in the atmosphere and cause severe thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes, and even flooding. We watched helplessly as the first 10 or so houses in the subdivision flooded and the entrance to the subdivision was blocked by water forced out of Fifi Bayou and into the street. Year after year, the same houses flooded and we watched as our neighbors cleaned up the mess after the storms. And, year after year residents pleaded with the city, parish and state to do something about the flooding in Tall Timbers. Finally, their tenacity proved fruitful. A levy was constructed in 2003 that would provide added protection to the Tall Timbers properties from all but the most severest deluge of water. And it worked for thirteen years, until 2016, when what can only be described as a "tsunami" of water came so hard and fast that it flowed over the levy and into the subdivision. Over 25 homes were completely devastated. As I drove through the subdivision with my daughter early Tuesday morning, after a night of rains that totaled over 10 inches, I was completely overcome by emotions. In the 20 years that I have lived here, I had never seen the flood waters this bad. The Sheriff's Department were on scene and the news stations were recording the events. They interviewed a family who said they went to bed oblivious to what was going on outside, thinking it was just a normal spring thunderstorm event. The father woke up in the early morning hours and told his family that the downstairs was beginning to flood. Within the hour the water was halfway up the front door, and a rescue was taking place. The little boat traveled across their yard and in the front door where they fished out the children first and then the rest of the family. When we arrived on the scene the family was standing on the side of the road under useless umbrellas as the rain continued to hail down. There were trashcans, garbage, and other debris floating in the flood waters and coming to rest at the edge of the water line. It was all a little bit surreal. 

We were unable to make our normal left turn because houses were flooded as far as the eye could see, so we made a right turn and took a circuitous route to our destination. Fortunately, our home was once again free from the encroaching water. We checked the inside for any damage, and satisfied that none existed, we locked the door and traveled to the other end of the street where the water was still consuming houses coming closer and closer to us. The rains were relentless and we wondered, would our home be next? Fortunately, the water eventually receded, but not before it left a path of destruction never seen before. Whether we live full time in an RV or in a brick home doesn't seem to matter. Mother Nature can hit any time, anywhere, and without warning. Visit the Red Cross or CDC for comprehensive disaster preparedness plans so you will be ready should a natural disaster or emergency situation arise. If you want to be entertained while making your plan, visit the "Survive a Zombie Apocalypse" page of the CDC website. Seriously, the introduction to suriving the zombie apocalypse goes like this:

 "There are all kinds of emergencies out there that we can prepare for. Take a zombie apocalypse for example. That’s right, I said z-o-m-b-i-e a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-s-e. You may laugh now, but when it happens you’ll be happy you read this, and hey, maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for a real emergency."

Thanks for reading. Be sure to follow my blog as I travel the country in my RV, livin' the life! 

The flood of 2016 - Haughton, Louisiana, Part I

"The forecast is for heavy rains Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; well, let's just say the whole week. It's going to be a gully washer, as they say. Some storms may become severe with heavy thunder and cloud to ground lightning as well as flash flooding will be possible. The atmosphere is ripe for the formation of funnel clouds, and the entire area is under a tornado watch. Stay tuned for details from our storm team." 

It's nothing we haven't heard before. After all, it's March in Louisiana, and this is the norm for this time of year. Nothing to be worried about. We've got our weather radios, batteries, water and other necessities. But, no one could have prepared us for what followed. 

I'm living in a 5th wheel trailer in a local RV park while trying to sell my house in the Tall Timbers subdivision, located in Haughton, Louisiana, and get ready to travel. I've lived in this area for 20 years, and it is my home. It's where I raised my children, and many of my friends and family are still here.

I'll never get used to the sudden change of weather, and especially tornados that are common in the springtime in Louisiana. The night of the storm, I was working at a local tutoring center; I finished my shift at 6:30 pm. The storm had been going on for a couple of hours and the intensity was severe with hard, pounding rains that my windshield wipers could not keep up with. Thankfully, I was driving a large pickup truck, making it easier to maneuver the sudden pools of water on the roadways. The lightning lit up the sky and the thunder sent shudders through my body as I gripped the steering wheel, praying for a safe trip. It was a scary 8 mile drive that should have taken about 15 minutes, but instead took more than twice that long. Rather than go directly to the RV, I went to my daughter's house.  Because of the forecast, I had packed a bag, planning to stay with her overnight; I had already dropped my dog off at her house. It's not because I anticipated what was about to happen, but because I'm that person that freaks out when tornados are in the forecast. Yep I'm that person whom you will find in a middle room, usually huddled in a closet, or in the bathroom; sometimes taking cover in the bathtub with the kids and animals, protecting our bodies with blankets and sometimes a mattress. I've even been known to don a helmet in especially severe weather. During tornado outbreaks I'm glued to the tv news weather station and follow each funnel cloud formation. When they advise to take cover, I don't hesitate.

At my daughter's house, the ceiling was leaking, water already breaching the property. She had three roof leaks and buckets were strategically placed to catch the rainwater. We watched as the water began to pool in the yards and the houses across the street began to take in water. We were only a few hours into a forecast that predicted stormy weather and rain for the next 5 days. Finally, around midnight I told my daughter that I was going to go check on the house in Tall Timbers. She wouldn't let me go alone, so her and I got in my truck and drove the 1 1/2 miles to my house. The water was rising, but everything looked ok. It wouldn't be that way when we returned in the morning.


Click the following link to read "The flood of 2016, ...Part II".

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