lovinarabs
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2006
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Our area has been hit very hard the last few days. I know Winona, MN got hit really bad and we were part of some of the relief effort in Rushford yesterday. Shannon's brother is a fireman here in town and he called to let us know that Rushford was under water and that if we knew anyone down there to check on them. Well, due to cell towers being full and no power or telephone lines we couldn't get through to them. They are an elderly couple so we loaded the truck with fresh water, sump pumps and headed down. There was one road that lead into town and that went right by their place. Luckily they were safe and she was very relieved to see us, about that time other friends started checking in. Two of them lost their homes. One commented in her text message that they were "Safe but sad, everything a total loss." Another had her home high and dry, but their Avalanche which was getting work done at the body shop was under water. She commented that it was "just a vehicle" and she had the right idea. Reports from them were that they got upwards of 13 - 16 inches in 24 hours. Made our 6 seem like nothing. I took a couple pictures from the car, but didn't take my camera when we walked towards uptown as it just seemed disrespectful to gawk at others suffering.
You can see the edge of town in this one.
another corn field
They had no time to grab anything. One guy we spoke with said they came around waking people up at 3:00 am and telling them to get out. He said at that point the water was halfway up the tires to his pickup. He went to wake the family and had them get dressed, looked out and the water was halfway up the sidewindow of his pickup. At that point people were taking to their roofs. I just can't even imagine that.
It was sad and scary to see, the Kwik Trip with ice machines floating and cars parked on main street with just their roofs showing, the fire department was about 6 feet deep in water and they were using those "swamp boats" with the big fans to drive around and rescue people. The folks we were helping said that they had heard a house blew up due to something with gas and electricity so the town had shut the power down. It was very scary, smelly and sad. Later I talked with a friend (who called to check on us) who had family and a stable in Houston. They were evacuating and we offered to help move horses as needed. She said they had it under control, but that town is devasted as well. Another lady that we trail ride with had been in Money Creek Campground at a bike (motorcycle) rally. They had to hoof it up the bluff to safety and she said people were taking to the trees and everything else to get above the rushing water. She knew a gentleman that drowned in a mobile home near Yucatan. Please keep the people who live in the area from Lanesboro to LaCrescent and beyond in your thoughts. Many of them woke up in strange homes with nowhere to go today.
We were lucky, our guardian angel watched over us. The creek is at it's banks and we had to rearrange horses out of the creek pastures to areas of higher ground. I just wish the rain would stop and give all of us a break right now so we can start cleaning up from the tragedy.
Links to newsstories
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1370974.html
http://wcco.com/local/local_story_231200018.html
http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/te...=304473&z=2
You can see the edge of town in this one.
another corn field
They had no time to grab anything. One guy we spoke with said they came around waking people up at 3:00 am and telling them to get out. He said at that point the water was halfway up the tires to his pickup. He went to wake the family and had them get dressed, looked out and the water was halfway up the sidewindow of his pickup. At that point people were taking to their roofs. I just can't even imagine that.
It was sad and scary to see, the Kwik Trip with ice machines floating and cars parked on main street with just their roofs showing, the fire department was about 6 feet deep in water and they were using those "swamp boats" with the big fans to drive around and rescue people. The folks we were helping said that they had heard a house blew up due to something with gas and electricity so the town had shut the power down. It was very scary, smelly and sad. Later I talked with a friend (who called to check on us) who had family and a stable in Houston. They were evacuating and we offered to help move horses as needed. She said they had it under control, but that town is devasted as well. Another lady that we trail ride with had been in Money Creek Campground at a bike (motorcycle) rally. They had to hoof it up the bluff to safety and she said people were taking to the trees and everything else to get above the rushing water. She knew a gentleman that drowned in a mobile home near Yucatan. Please keep the people who live in the area from Lanesboro to LaCrescent and beyond in your thoughts. Many of them woke up in strange homes with nowhere to go today.
We were lucky, our guardian angel watched over us. The creek is at it's banks and we had to rearrange horses out of the creek pastures to areas of higher ground. I just wish the rain would stop and give all of us a break right now so we can start cleaning up from the tragedy.
Links to newsstories
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1370974.html
http://wcco.com/local/local_story_231200018.html
http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/te...=304473&z=2
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