Saturday, June 07, 2008

The Great Flood Of 2008

If there is a such a thing as a one-hundred year flood, parts of Indiana are experiencing it today. From the banks of the Wabash River in West Central Indiana to the White River in the state's mid-section south of I-70, flooding is widespread from rain in excess of 10 inches in some places. In the Terre Haute area, flood waters closed parts of I-70 and US-41. Highway 63 south of the Terre Haute penitentiary was washed out. Homes were destroyed in the Allendale community south of Terre Haute where many residents don't have flood insurance because it is not considered to be within a flood plain. Breached levies along Wabash tributaries exacerbated flooding, engulfing several apartment and retirement communities who had to be rescued by boat when flood waters rose before residents could escape. The National Guard is aiding in flood efforts in Vigo County. The situation in Johnson and Morgan Counties south of Indianapolis is just as bad with numerous roads washed out, dams breached and entire communities like Paragon under water.

It's too soon to know the extent of the damage, but it isn't hard to imagine flood damage in Indiana easily topping $1 billion. Government budgets will be strained to repair all the damaged roads, bridges, dams and levies. Record-high oil prices have already been making asphalt road construction costs soar. Widespread crop damage will push record-high grain prices even higher. At least ten Indiana counties have been severely impacted by this week's flooding, including Vigo, Greene, Sullivan, Monroe, Brown, Owen, Clay, Morgan, Johnson and southern Putnam counties.

UPDATE: As the water moves downstream, the flooding has spread to Columbus. The Columbus Regional Hospital has been forced to evacuate nearly 100 patients according to WTHR. At least one bridge leading into the city over a creek has collapsed and water levels are too high to make travel over other bridges safe.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Yep, this whole situation is pretty terrible. My partner and I have been trying to sell a house on East Lake in the Prince's Lake system. Our neighbor is a homophobe and we don't enjoy our time there.

Now that the lake's dam has been destroyed we have a large assessment ahead of us and less of a lake until the dam is repaired.

Anyone want to buy mush-front property?

Club said...

Phil,
Good luck. Having lived in FL, I can relate to what you are going through up there.

Anyone know if Vigo County has been declared a Federal Disaster area? My cousin's house was flooded.

Anonymous said...

club: This story from WTHI is a little ambiguous, but its all I could find:

http://www.wthitv.com/global/story.asp?s=8448644


I'm originally from Terre Haute, and almost all of my family lives there. I havnt been down yet, but it sounds like a terrible mess.

Luckily, my parents' house didnt get any water in it. They live on a lake on the south/east side of town, but their house is raised a good ten feet from the lake. They had NO back yard at one point on Saturday morning, the water was all the way up to the steps of their deck.

Their neighbors wernt so lucky, they have a split-level home and they had about a foot of water in their basement.

If 70 is fully open both directions tomorrow I might go down and check it all out.

~~Aryq~~

varangianguard said...

From WRTV today...Vigo is on the Federal list of counties.

Flooding seems worst along the Wabash in the areas of town not (or no longer) protected by a levee. Just north of the city, and then south along the Wabash in the Honey Creek area, including Allendale (!).

Ken said...

Curious: what is a homophobe? It sounds like someone who is afraid of gay people. Are people really phobic or do they just have a strong moral or ethical belief against that lifestyle, and therefore harbor anger. Personally, I do not think it is anyone business what anyone else does behind closed doors, but in saying that I still find it morally wrong, so please label be as homophobic as well.

I have know plenty of gay people and most are as nice as anyone else you may meet, but I also feel very sad for them. Too many will never have the joy of watching the birth of their own fresh and blood, and then feeling the joys and pains of seeing them become adults.

Yes, it maybe off the subject, but so would be your homophobic neighbor.

Anonymous said...

The rain that Terre Haute is getting right now is NOT needed! Heh. Someone tell mother nature they have enough down there. Its coming down quite hard according to my Mom. Areas that had started to dry out are going to quickly start filling up again.

artfuggins said...

Ken, I am complying with your wish and formally declaring you a homophobe and a judgemental one at that. Do not feel sad for me. You are not the one who will ultimately judge my morals. My God will do that. So quit being nosy on top of everything else.