Flooding, the quick synopsis:
Mother and extended family are fine. The levees held even in spots that were of concern. Turns out this was the ultimate test, and now they can "fix" the spots that were causing trouble. The crest ultimately was ABOVE the crest in 1972, as well as the "public" figure for the current levee system (41') at 42.66'. Apparently, the Army Corps of Engineers gave them a little "wiggle room" to 43' and that turned out to be the thing that saved the two towns (Wilkes Barre and Kingston).
I just spoke to my mom today, and things still aren't good however. River Street, one street below Main, where she lives, was inundated (outside the levee system) and remains closed. Thus all the traffic destined for Rt 81 is rerouted to Main Street . It makes it nearly impossible to get out of the driveway (if you're an 81 year old nervous driver). The water system is intact, and she didn't lose power. There are still three bridges closed, pending inspections. Market Street was opened this morning . Two in Pittston, and one that adjoins the county courthouse in Wilkes Barre remain closed.
Now the next new fight is going to start. When they reconstructed this levee system in the 10 years following Agnes, there were arguments about the height, and also about what would happen in the towns up and down river when the water was held out of Kingston and Wilkes Barre. Now we know. Folks that had water in their basements in 1972 had four or more feet on their first floors. Both up river, Pittston and West Pittston, and down, Bloomsburg, Shickshinny etc. Have no idea how they'll deal with this. I really feel for these folks.
But even so, the devastation is nothing like I remember from 39 (!) years ago. More dispersed, though.
So now, in the space of three weeks we've had a hurricane, earthquake and flooding. We're ready! Bring on the locusts. ( Re: the earthquake. The most interesting thing I noticed was that I became motion sick as the floor shook and the window glass waved. That was disconcerting.)
Finally...somebody please explain to me what are "they" thinking?????!!!!!!!
Attack Watch(!!!)
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I'm glad your mom was spared the worst of it. I was worried about my own mother, who insisted on driving home from here in the driving rain. Surrounded by the best efforts of the Mohawk River and its playmates, and me unable to GET there should she need help. (Except, perhaps, by parachute. Which isn't happening.) I vaguely remember Agnes (Daddy bailing out the basement, mostly).
Oh, and we have locusts down here. I'm waiting for flying fish.
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