you can see our lake home. We are on high ground and our property is safe.
This picture was taken Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015.
This is Sawyer, Cliff and Lidia looking on as 4 gates are open to release water from the swollen lake. And you can see the water spilling over the sides of the Saluda River.
I took this picture of the dam, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015. You can see that 2 of the gates have been closed and the water level in the river has receded some.
This is being called a Historical 1000 Year Flood event in South Carolina.
At the time of this post, we are still flooded in South Carolina. The water is down in some areas and still causing problems in others. I woke up to news that there has been another evacuation ordered in Columbia because of a possible dam breach. The rivers downstream are still rising.
At the time of this post, there are nearly 300 roads and 166 bridges closed. There have been 18 dams breached. We are urged to stay off the roads. Rescue workers are still helping survivors and working to recover victims. To date there has been 16 deaths attributed to this historical flood event. There are people that have lost everything.
Cliff and I are still at the lake because our way home is through Columbia, the city that Interstate 26 runs through. Columbia has so many road closures, it would be difficult to find a way through. I-26 has had portions of it closed due to flooding and compromised bridges. Hwy 378, Garners Ferry Road, also our route home, was devastated.
I see the news reports and the pictures and videos, but since I can't see it with my own eyes, it doesn't feel real. I want to get home so badly. I want to see what is going on in my own community.
The pictures I'm posting below are not my own. They are pictures I've copied from Facebook or News Sites. I feel like it's important for us to remember such a historical water event....to remember the power of water and mother nature. Not only to remember this devastating event, but to remember God's grace and mercy. It could have been so much worse.
I leave you now with the pictures from around of state of South Carolina:
This is Lakewood. Our beach home is here...about 5 streets over.
Again, our home is on higher ground and we are okay.
This is Front St., Georgetown. I ran my first 5K and my first half-marathon on this very street. You can see the town clock near the upper right-hand side of the photo.
Columbia, SC
I believe this is from Charleston, SC. A few coffins have been rising up out of the ground.
I can't tell if this is I-26 or parts of Hwy 378, but you can see standing water causing road closures.
Not only are roads washed out and flooded, but trees have fallen across roads.
Railroads have been affected.
Columbia.
So many people have been affected. It's not over yet. I just heard from my sister in Andrews, our home town, that the river is still rising and friends are being evacuated by boat. The area across the river is cut off from town and people are running out of food.
Once again, please pray for SC.
Thank you!
Laurie
BE SAFE, my friend - we lived in St. Louis during a 1000 year flood in 1993. These photos bring back SO many memories - water ALL around us (fortunately, our house was on a higher plane, but the lower houses in the neighborhood had water from the Missouri breaching their backyards. Don't EVER want to see that much water in out of place places again, EVER! Just be safe! XOXO
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tanya. My family is safe. But our communities are suffering. Waters are still rising in the rivers. Many people are losing their homes and everything in it. It is so, so sad!
DeleteI am praying, Laurie. It makes all our "things posts" seem unimportant in the light of what is going on there. I am so sorry and I am praying that everyone you know is safe and their homes unharmed. God bless-xo Diana
ReplyDeleteThank you for your prayers, Diana. Unfortunately, the river is still rising and I have friends having to evacuate, some by boat. I just talked to a friend whose parents home on the river was completely destroyed. Water was up to their roof. They are not the only ones, it's happening to so many. Thank the Lord that people are heeding the warnings. Material things can be replaced....
DeleteI've been watching on Fox News....it's devastating! So glad you had a cottage to even go to! Glad you're safe.....
ReplyDeleteIt is so sad to see the news reports....and you are so right, it is devastating. We are very blessed to have our homes on higher ground. I have friends who are losing everything from the rising rivers. It certainly puts things into perspective. Life is so precious. And yes, we are safe....thank you!
DeleteThank you for sharing these photos here, Laurie.
ReplyDeleteYou better believe that I am still praying for all in South Carolina. I still can't believe the amount of rain that came down.
Did you see the weatherman from the Columbia TV station that when he reported on the sunshine shining on the buildings in Columbia, he was so choked by tears that he could hardly speak? It brought tears to my eyes too. xx
Thank you for your prayers, Kay. It is all surreal....the amount of rain, the floods, the dams breaking, roads washing out and the waters in the rivers are still rising. I have friends who have had to evacuate, some by boat. Some have lost everything. They so need our prayers. I can't imagine having to start over from scratch and all you have to go through to get to that point. Yes, I saw the weatherman's report. I've also seen other news reporters getting choked up over what they are seeing and having to report. Just so, so sad.
DeleteOh my....those picture have given me goosebumps and I how sad for everyone to see their homes destroyed and their town so damaged. I pray for all those in this awful disaster but also we can help in many ways with donations to the Red Cross and many places are sending food and water and needed supplies. It's important to do what we can even though we can't be there in person. I'm glad your homes are safe and I hope all is well with you. Be careful because sickness has a way of spreading during these unsanitary conditions. We still haven't heard from our friends in Columbia...praying for them!
ReplyDeleteYour friends may be in a shelter. So many people are. Donations have been pouring in. On one news channel, they were saying that sending money to the Red Cross is what's needed the most. Bottled water is also needed. Columbia is still under a 'boil water' order. There is s curfew in place, mostly because travel on the roads are so dangerous. There are sink holes and roads that have washed out that are hard to see after dark. Thank you for your prayers. We need them!
DeleteOh my goodness . . . I can not imagion living through a flood like that. I am so happy that your home is on high ground. Be safe :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Connie. It is so sad! It's like nothing I've ever seen. We are very blessed that our property is safe.
DeleteYour pictures really bring the tragedy to light. Sending prayers for all those who have been affected and will be before this is over. There will be plenty of helping to do to bring these communities and families back to a sense of normall. So sad. Stay safe. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mama Pea! We appreciate all your prayers. So many have been affected and now we're bracing for a second round of flooding. All the water from the upstate is traveling down stream. The swollen rivers are now flooding even more. Our town borders Black River and many of our friends have evacuated already and many have already lost there homes. I can't imagine how much more is coming. My family is safe. Thanks again for your prayers.
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