They aren’t happening here, but a hurricane in the mid-Atlantic and a series of explosions near Andover are causing nightmares for many other people, including much of my family.
My aunt and uncle live in North Andover. They’re fine, Aunt Nancy reports, but had to evacuate. She said they are one town over, safe, but are worried about friends. They were having trouble reaching friends and neighbors last night.
Further south, my mother and stepfather’s house is in Virginia, in the outer bands of the storm but in a likely spot to get lots of rain for the next few days. They are traveling out of the country right now, but are likely to return to quite a mess.
I was speaking with one of our clients, too, who has a second home in Wilmington. She has neighbors watching it, and says they are on some of the higher ground there, but it looks like they got a direct hit from what I can tell in the news.
Hurricanes and gas explosions. Quite an end to the summer.
Difficult Days
Chris
Thank you for letting us know how close to home these tragedies are. There is double concern as our safety nets and public structures/utilities are failing. Climate change seems to be accelerating the degree and frequency of weather related eruptions. The horrendous inadequacy of the administrations’ Puerto Rico relief effort, also indicates the deep trouble we are in. Please keep us posted as to how your Aunt and Uncle are doing, your parents, and yourself as you are rightly and reasonable concerned about them.
To Donate /Volunteer to Aid victims of gas explosions:
https://www.boston25news.com/news/merrimack-valley-gas-explosions-where-you-can-donate-volunteer/833791461
To help victims of hurricane Florence:
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article218331130.html
Of course check out the organizations one contributes to, but hopefully, this is a start of where to begin…
Weathering it all
I have family in Myrtle Beach (they all moved from Indiana to avoid Winters). They prepared but didn’t evacuate. My nephew is a news director, and was at the station from Weds. thru Saturday. His wife, daughter and mother all stayed in their homes. It turned out to be fine for them, as Florence hung around NC and died down before getting to them. A few limbs down but no real damage and they didn’t lose power.
My cousin in NC has been out of touch since Thursday, and they were on the outside edge of the storm. I expect their power is out, hope they’ll have power soon, and hope they’re okay. They had prepared.
All that said, last I heard was that 5 have died directly or indirectly from Florence. Terrible.
My brother was due to move from NJ to FL on Friday, but that will have to wait until the roads are open again. I hear that lots of trees and power lines are down across 95.
The explosions have made so many lose their homes and belongings. I can’t imagine coming home after work to see your home gone.
Has it always been thus? Are we just witnessing more now via internet and 24 hour news? Is it that I’m older, been thru some messes myself and feel for others more because of my experiences? I don’t know, but it wears the nerves down to see so much tragedy.
It goes on
Still lots of flooding going on. Carolina farming is a mess, as are lots of non-wealthy areas that can’t really afford to rebuild/recover (especially with major storms every few years.)
The sad thing is we’ll probably look back at this in a few years and wish for these good old days. Remember when we used to have hurricanes that only went to Cat 5? Remember when our town flooded only once every three years?
Any updates from your relatives down there?
…
Andover update – my aunt was let back in to her house, but had to wait for the gas company to come turn things back on. Imagine that to-do list item: “turn on all gas service in homes in three cities today….” Um, I think I’ll get a donut first. Then start… : )
and on
Still no word from the NC branch. Another relative said that area still has no power. And my brother is waiting for the moving company to say the roads are clear and it’s time to go. All his stuff is in a trailer.
I remember hurricanes from decades ago, and they were awful. But back then I didn’t have family in the south. The floodwaters aren’t receding as fast as hoped.
Let’s not forget Puerto Rico is still a mess, a year later.