JPG Magazine: Stories: Feature Story: Noah, We Need You Flooding Is Devastating a Small Community

Feature Story

Noah, We Need You Flooding Is Devastating a Small Community

Sun Setting on Spring's Investment (Flood)

By Joli Buchanan

10 June 2008

A compilation of photos taken over the weekend in Columbus, Indiana, where flooding caused the evacuation of homes and hospitals. This area has had a particularly wet Spring. Rivers going into the weekend were at the bank's brim. Most crop production has been pushed back at least two weeks due to difficulty of a heavy tractor into water soaked soils countywide.

On Friday, June 6th the rains began, off and on, the entire day. They poured close to 11 inches each day. Saturday afternoon, two levees in surrounding counties broke sending water rushing towards Columbus.This set of photos has been compiled for two reasons.

(1) Documentation of flooding for records. The pictures have been used by local, state and national media stations showing the impact of the flooding on Columbus, Indiana, a town often referred to as "The Athens of the MidWest" and

(2) Documentation e-mailed to my brother, whose neighborhood was evacuated on Saturday. He left for holiday Friday. Sunday, I finally reach him via e-mail, requesting he come home. Some of the pictures are of his yard and belongings affected to show why I was requesting such of him.

The last few days have been long. Saturday afternoon when the levees broke, the water began to rush into the East Fork of the White River, a main tributary running through our small town. At that point dad called to say he was on his way to church. I knew when he asked if I still had my generator, the day was going to be difficult and long.

At the church dad gathered blankets, jugs for water and fired up the old diesel church bus. He drove the bus through nearby neighborhoods, picking up families & what belongings they could grab quickly, taking them to the middle school for shelter. This was an emergency plan his church had arranged years ago.

I went 30 miles south to the farm, gathering ropes, cables, candles, various camping gear, old quilts, sheets, magazines, books, some toys and the generator.

I phoned the theatre where mom was attending an a community fundraiser letting the box office know and asked them to send mom home. My mom, in the essence of the woman she is, went directly home and did what she does best, pulling ingredients out of the cupboards for cookies and bread. She knew people would be hungry.

Once I arrived at mom's with the generator, I gathered more blankets while she made cookies, bread and sandwiches. I then met up with dad for a pass off so that he could make deliveries to other churches and schools housing displaced families. By now (around 6pm) most homes, roads, etc. were already soaked with water. Dad stayed that eve at the middle school as by the time he made the delivery, the roads were impassable to get back home.

As I sit here typing, running by generator and drinking coffee made from water out of a gallon jug, my head somewhat spins with all that has happened. It's 4am eastern, Tuesday June 10th.

Most of the water in the neighborhoods has subsided. Many families are now back in their neighborhoods and begun gutting the contents of their homes, most of which has been destroyed. Though our rivers have crested, it began to rain about 20 minutes ago. The rain is slow, but the forecast says we'll have spring storms over the next 48 hours.

I don't know exactly how this next couple of days will go. My brother is back home now, he flew in from Montana on a red eye. The family was able to set down around the same table for dinner late-late last night. I think my dad said it best by saying, "Hey, we're alive, we're together, and that means a lot to me." That was very kind and sweet of Dad. Just then, in one of his typical somber-breaking-moments, my brother exclaimed, "Yeah, but can you pass me another biscuit, these are great mom."

Ug, brothers.

Special Note: **Something I personally believe has helped Columbus very much during this whole effort is the National Guard and the Marines. The U.S. Marine Corps arrived for training in my home town on Friday the day the rains began. The combination of guard and Marines gave the town the ability to have resources to direct traffic, pot water, carry children, etc. and the communities resources could be focused elsewhere. I raise this issue particular from the quick response and emergency plan which was pulled off here.

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