The view of I-5 at the Centralia exit....When the water recedes, there's likely going to be a lot of damage to the roadway - which is the major North-South interstate between Seattle and Portland. So even when it's "dry" it may not be passable for most folks...
You can see WalMart is covered in water to the upper right there (uppermost white roofed building)...this photo was published today in the Seattle times website...taken some time this morning. There's a Home Depot there somewhere too...and that white "strip" toward the upper center is a small mall...wow.
Today we found out that some of our family are stuck in the mess that is now Centralia, Washington.
We are all very concerned about them, as no one can actually get to where they are to bring them out of the flooded mess that their house has become. But they are in contact with Sister K, and are doing as well as they can at the moment. It's just that there is a tremendous need at times like these to actually "see" the folks that are effected...we'll have to wait for a bit longer though.
Hopefully, the roads will clear enough to get in to their place by Friday...if not, Sister will likely rent a blimp and fly in to get them :) Right now, there isn't a passable road that will get us within miles of them. That whole part of Lewis county is pretty much an island that can't be approached other than by boat. The national guard is keeping folks from launching their own boats to go in a fetch people (that was magic's bright idea, but - NO!)
The water started coming into their place around 4:30am early Tuesday morning. They were fast asleep in their bed, when an early rising neighbor called and told them that their house was taking on water. It got to be about 4 feet deep I hear, before it started receding. Luckily, their bedroom and master bath are elevated a bit above the grade of the rest of the house, so they are able to stay out of the water there with the help of a generator. They were able to move their cars to higher ground before the water got too deep, but that was about it. No one has been able to get in and deliver supplies yet, though, so we are all a bit concerned.
These pics show the "after" at around 2:30 pm yesterday afternoon - water is about 2 feet deep. It's still pretty wet there. They don't expect the Chehalis River to crest in the Centralia area until this evening.
Once they open the roads, we'll be down there in a flash helping get what stuff can be salvaged (mostly irreplaceable stuff, I suppose) out of the house. Hopefully, they'll stay with Sis while the details of cleaning up are figured out. Most of the furniture will have to be replaced...ugh...what a mess!
A view of the water line in relation to the outside of the house as of 2:30PM Dec 4, 2007. Something is floating by in the yard there...can't really tell what...but the roof sure looks nice and clean. :) Might as well smile as cry...
A view of the backyard, same time...
We'll keep you posted on progress...but in the meantime, send happy thoughts to all the folks effected by the flooding here in Washington...it's going to be a long haul getting things put back together.
Hope you all are happy, warm and dry!
M&G
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