So, we're just hanging around after dinner yesterday. It was ok outside, but kind of dark, they were predicting a bit of rain. Literally two minutes later there was torrential rain. Lightning and thunder that continued unabated, simultaneously, and continuous for roughly an hour or so.
We kept running from window to window to see what was going on. We had a mini-river gushing over the corners of our roof, overflowing the gutters. Couldn't even open the door to poke a head out because of the fierce wind and lightning.
Our daughter came home from work exclaiming that our road (among many others in our town) was flooded just a bit away from us.
Next thing, we heard sirens. Getting closer. Then the fire truck came rushing down the street. To a house two doors north of our own house. After a while, I saw an officer going up to the next door neighbor's front door, then across the street to pound on their door. So I sort of loitered on the sidewalk under the umbrella. He came over and asked if I knew the situation up the street. No. They've got some structural damage he says, they've been evacuated. Do they have somewhere to go? Yes, and they seem to be in ok spirits. Please, go check your house - make sure you don't have any foundation cracks or water leaking in your house. So, we did. The Husband was a bit nervous (we all were) being out there with under a metal tipped umbrella. But we did a quick survey and decided we were fine.
Came in and checked on the sisters I minister to in the ward, and The Husband checked on the families he ministers to. I also checked on our favorite friends and the neighbors across the street. Our friends right next door got some water in their basement as did the people on the other side of them. But overall, our street fared fairly well.
This morning's walk found us astonished at the storm's fury evident in the dirt covering the sidewalks / trails and even streets. 1300 East, a very busy road had dirt a couple inches deep all over, including many landscaping rocks and bark. Mess is a grave understatement. A couple major roads were completely closed off until the afternoon. One had the sidewalk not just buckled but all awry (including huge gaps in the road pavement) from the force of the water running down the hill. The natural gas pipeline is completely exposed. The picture is from an intersection where the city just barely finished installing a new traffic light. All of that dirt came down and blocked the road. So glad no one was hurt.
I have never ever seen that kind of rain before. When it's snowing hard, we often can't see across the street. But that hasn't happened with rain, it was so dense and so heavy it was truly scary.
It took a long time for me to quit feeling trembly, nervous, anxious. Sleep was elusive for quite a while.
Gratitude today for being spared damage. For a snug, solid new roof. And for no rain predicted tonight. I hope to never go through that kind of storm again.
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