Hurricane Harvey has rightfully dominated the news for several days, and while I’ve seen plenty of hurricane coverage in my life, this is the first time I’ve had friends in the danger area. They’ve been uppermost in my mind as the media distribute hurricane news and pictures round the clock.
In a sad way, when you’ve seen a few pictures of storm damage, you’ve seen them all. But the one above left me genuinely shaken. These are residents of the La Vita Bella nursing home in Dickinson, TX, photographed early this morning. (Dickinson is between Houston and Galveston.) As you can see they are seated in their living room with floodwater up to their laps. I’m relieved to be able to report that all 15 were rescued by helicopter, but this image will haunt me for a very long time.
(The facility had never flooded before and officials had instructed residents and staff to shelter in place. The owner snapped this picture and sent it out in a plea for rescue.)
Hoping everyone in the storm area is or soon will be safe and dry and stays that way. I’ll be thinking and worrying about you until this is all over.
Oh, my. What amazes me is that some of them look like nothings going on — that they’re not up to their waists in flood waters.
One report described them as looking like they were “resigned to their fate.” It scares me to think I might feel that way at some point.
I hadn’t seen this before just now, and dad had earlier (he’s had the coverage on all day). I thought at first it was photoshopped and faked, as if they were trying to show what a certain amount of water in a place would look like. Then I read the context. Holy crap! Glad they got out of there–that’s despicable.
Apparently a lot of people thought it was photoshopped. I was really horrified when I first saw it. Was so relieved to read they’d been rescued around noon. I can understand if the place had never flooded before. A lot of Dickinson residents were taken by surprise, waking up to water in their homes when they’d never been flooded before. I was so glad to hear you’re still high and dry, but that water sure looks close. Stay alert.
We live about 40 miles SW of Houston and are luckily still above the flood. The last time we had a record flood, the Brazos River came out of it’s banks 5 miles which approached our place to within a couple of hundred meters.
This map shows what happened last time and what is expected this time.
We’re probably going to stay dry.
Whew, thanks for checking in! I couldn’t remember where in the area you live. That’s a lot of river to have at your front door. I know you will have prepared as well as anyone could. Stay safe, and keep your feet dry. Crossing my fingers.
Phil the philosophical mouse has been keeping me updated, seems he’s right there, not 40 miles away. He sent me links for direct tv broadcasts but they’re not getting through.
His dog’s not too happy,damn hurricane/cyclone upsetting his regular potty breaks.
He’s a she, actually. I’ve been watching her blog to keep up with what’s happening there. As long as she’s writing, I know she’s okay and has power. If she stops writing and responding to my comments, I’ll start worrying. Well, no, I’m already worrying. I’ll stop when the flooding stops.
I saw the picture briefly on CNN, although it was difficult to see the level of the water. Now that I have a closer look, I am horrified. I’m so relieved they were rescued, but what a comment on the resiliency of people—especially older ones!
I shudder to think what kind of filth could be in that water. I hope none of them succumb to any aftereffects from this. I’d have died on the spot from pure terror.
Like so many others, I thought this was faked, too. Thank god for social media! It saved these people’s lives!
Indeed it did. I’ve never been a fan of social media, but on occasion it proves itself invaluable.