June 28, 2006
Morning Roundup: Deluge Wrapup Edition
A once-in-200-years rainstorm, is what that was all about, says the Post. At National Airport, just over one foot of rain fell between Friday morning and yesterday morning, and an additional three or so inches came down last night, continuing to compound flood problems around the region. In Montgomery County, a number of residents were evacuated over fears a Rock Creek dam would burst, and across the metropolitan area getting around has become difficult as train services experience delays and disruptions, and downed signal lights slow traffic to a crawl (ever sensitive to the effects of serious storms, the White House closed streets during rush hour yesterday, to prepare for President Bush's speech at the nearby Marriott).
But it appears the storm is pretty much gone, though the Washington Times notes that some further rainfall is possible this week. The Weather Service continues to report on the risk that the Potomac and other area rivers will approach flood stage, and with the ground saturated, any particularly strong thunderstorm or new system could cause problems immediately.
Huntington Area Gets it the Worst: Both the Post and the Washington Times focus on portions of Fairfax County, this morning, where flood waters up to 10 feet deep significantly damaged around 160 homes, three of which have been condemned. Said one area resident, "This was our Katrina."
Briefly Noted: Poll shows Ehrlich lagging O'Malley...Housing price increases not gone, just in different neighborhoods...D.C. city workers file class-action lawsuit over stolen data.
This Day in DCist: We took our first look at the Circulators (which we presciently declared would be known as "Red Buses"), Nike apologized for ripping off Minor Threat, and we documented Metro intercom misuse.
Picture taken by maxedaperture.
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Technically it was the NWS that determined it was a 200-year event.
Can someone who lives down Huntington way go slap that "This is our Katrina" person? Please? Thanks.
Anyone know what happened last n ight at McFadden's?
There were fire trucks and this morning and window was boarded up.
The Post says a taxi skidded off the road and into the building.
As a former Aspen Hill resident, I was concerned to hear about the Needwood dam this morning on the national news. If the dam actually fails, wouldn't it do far more damage than just Twinbrook? Water and debris would go all the way to Georgetown, wouldn't it? Man, lots of washed out bridges too.
We New Englanders feel your pain. We had our flood damage in early May, and it STILL rained plenty for 6 more weeks.
"This is our Katrina"
Call me in a week when you're still waiting on your roof for a helicopter rescue.
I know that perspective and even-keeled, calm, rational thought, let alone sympathy, is hard for some, but I'm thinking that the person who referred to the flooding in Fairfax as "our Katrina," was referring to the devastation of losing one's possessions and being displaced from one's home and not comparing his plight to those who sat alone on their roofs in NO last fall.
I know that perspective and even-keeled, calm, rational thought, let alone sympathy, is hard for some, but I'm thinking that the person who referred to the flooding in Fairfax as "our Katrina," was referring to the devastation of losing one's possessions and being displaced from one's home and not comparing his plight to those who sat alone on their roofs in NO last fall.
I recall that back in '95 and again in '97 we had two feet of water on lower Penn Ave, cars were floating on Canal Street, and heavy iron manholes covers were either being forced by water pressure out of the streets and sidewalks, or where blowing up and landing on roofs. How is this even as bad as that, let alone so much worse?
Those road closures were hell. I left my office at 19th & F at 6:00 pm last night and it took 2 hours to get to my house in AU Park.
dharris, ever heard of the red line metro?
Did anyone else see this little gem in the linked examiner article:
So why can’t police direct traffic through the area until signals are restored? It’s a question no one seemed to be able to answer Tuesday.
D.C. Department of Transportation spokeswoman Karyn LeBlanc said it was unclear who ordered the roads closed.
D.C. police officials also said it was also unclear who ordered the closures and they have not been requested by DDOT to direct traffic on either road.
You're telling me that two major downtown thoroughfares are closed for two days and the freaking department of transportation doesn't know why?! Unbelievable.
Hmmm... blockquote didn't grab everything. For citational accuracy, this is the quoted text:
“There were officers everywhere at the intersections [on Constitution and Independence Avenues], but not a puddle in sight,” Bennett said. “It was a little confusing, but very frustrating.”
So why can’t police direct traffic through the area until signals are restored? It’s a question no one seemed to be able to answer Tuesday.
D.C. Department of Transportation spokeswoman Karyn LeBlanc said it was unclear who ordered the roads closed.
D.C. police officials also said it was also unclear who ordered the closures and they have not been requested by DDOT to direct traffic on either road.
I work as a case manager for a non-profit homeless transition agency in Fairfax County, VA. We are experiencing many families seeking assistance from the Huntington area that have lost everything they had (including pets)and have no housing. Many have no resources to survive and are living in short-term shelters. Yes, they are most definitely experiencing the same tragedy as our Katrina Victims (I serviced some evacuees up here as well). Just because Huntington is a smaller community that was affected, please don't think these people did not suffer the same affects both emotionally and financially. They are actually at a disadvantage when compared to the Katrina Victims...the federal government cared about them--it doesn't appear that they want to do one thing for our local citizens. That is a tragedy in itself.
I work as a case manager for a non-profit homeless transition agency in Fairfax County, VA. We are experiencing many families seeking assistance from the Huntington area that have lost everything they had (including pets)and have no housing. Many have no resources to survive and are living in short-term shelters. Yes, they are most definitely experiencing the same tragedy as our Katrina Victims (I serviced some evacuees up here as well). Just because Huntington is a smaller community that was affected, please don't think these people did not suffer the same affects both emotionally and financially. They are actually at a disadvantage when compared to the Katrina Victims...the federal government cared about them--it doesn't appear that they want to do one thing for our local citizens. That is a tragedy in itself.
Kari:
Not to inappropriately make lite of the Huntington situation, but the gov also didn't lie about looting and raping, send in the Nat guard, declare martial law, turn victems back from bridges, or build security-inspiring but fatally-flawed leveys around Huntington.
As to wether they'll send help like they did to Katrina victems, I guess you'll need to wait a few more days to find out.