Ike’s Smakedown
“The worst flood in years,” is what some news stations reported this past weekend for Chicago, most suburbs, and northwest Indiana. Some areas reported more than seven inches of rain, which caused the Fox and Dupage Rivers to supersede its levels and flood everything in its path.
Endless rain and news footage of people being rescued by emergency boat or using paddle boats to get to their once dry streets, was only part of it. Everywhere I went on Saturday I heard people talking about pipes bursting, basements flooding and water damage everywhere.
My apartment was no different. I woke up Saturday morning in my Downers Grove apartment to about three inches of standing water on every inch of the floor, and an added bonus of waste! (yes, the sewage pipe broke due to excess water).
The carpet was floating and we had to use a snow shovel to scoop the water out the sliding door, I also used my dustpan to scoop more wastewater into a bucket that had flooded the kitchen. I did not loose a lot, but I can’t imagine what it would be like to be flooded with more water, I guess it’s not as bad it could have been.
The real victims were the residents of Galveston, Houston, and parts of Louisiana. The relief efforts seem to mimic Hurricane Katrina, an estimated $20 billion worth in damage to Texas resident-homes and millions without power.
Yes, this weekend we received a serious “Smakedown” from Hurricane Ike, but it’s important to think about the people who received it worse than us.
Here are a few links to the Hurricane Rescue Relief and Red Cross, to donate money, clothing, anything will help! Also here are some local websites for people in Chicago, who lost their belongings to the flood.
Here’s a good news story from the Christian Science Monitor- help is needed!
