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Hurricane Rita -- A Mass Exodus By Marilyn E. Braley The hurricanes of 2005 affected many people in varying ways. This is one family's story during a difficult time.
Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005 n just a few hours we will flee Hurricane Rita, the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Going with us is our daughter Karen, son-in-law Frank and dear granddaughters. Brianna, our youngest granddaughter, was so sweet. On the way home from school, she and sister Madison talked about the hurricane. She grabbed me and said she wanted me to come too! School is now closed until after the storm.
Friday, Sept. 23, 2005 We're now at Aunt Do Do's, Frank's sister. It is surreal. For years the media spoke of what would happen when the "Big One" hits Galveston and Houston. We are now finding out. Rita is lumbering towards the coast. Can you imagine evacuating 2 million people? It is happening at this moment, as I write this. Some people panicked early and left Tuesday before mandatory evacuations, but most began leaving on Wednesday. A mandatory evacuation is issued for our area of Houston and Clear Lake City, unheard of for at least the past 30 years.
After arriving last night, the TV showed massive gridlock on I-10, even after authorities finally opened the opposite contra flow lanes. It is a weird feeling, wondering if we will have a house or neighborhood when we get home, but I trust God. That's all I can really say, I trust God. The girls are beyond excited. Brianna was so sweet and very determined to keep track of her Grandma. Cousin AJ stayed home from school so the girls played with him all day. The news said 3 million people were told to evacuate. What an amazing sight! Traffic today was still awful. Sabbath, Sept. 24, 2005 This is the most unusual Sabbath we have ever spent, watching the news to see if our house was being flooded or blown away! We are hurricane refugees thanks to Hurricane Rita. Later today, the hurricane was downgraded to a Category 1 with 75-mph winds. We are thankful for that! I still say we can see God's mercy. It could have stayed at maximum strength, Category 5, 400 miles across, with gusts up to 190 mph and sustained winds of 175 mph. I marvel at how well the evacuation worked. The radio deejays were really good, telling people to work together and be patient. They had hot lines so people could call in and give tips on better routes and vent their frustrations at being stuck in traffic.
The storm isn't over yet by a long shot. There could still be wind damage, flooding and trees falling on our house as the hurricane continues inland. It is by God's mercy that scores of nearby oil refineries are not wiped out by explosions, resulting in gas shortages and blazing gasoline prices! Sunday, Sept. 25, 2005 I keep wondering if our mail and newspapers are piling up, letting looters know we are away. Despite Mayor Bill White's "Zero Looters Tolerance" policy, if God allowed it, looters could really get rich from all the empty houses. It was a relief when someone turned the channel to football. I am not fond of football, but it is better than constant hurricane coverage with the same images shown over and over again.
Monday, Sept. 26, 2005 We left for home around 8 p.m. last night and arrived home about midnight. There were signs warning of massive delays to Houston and no fuel available. However, traffic was steady with no delays. The city was well lit and most gas stations were open! What a relief to see the power on and no damage at either house. Madison and Brianna were elated and were lying happily on the carpet while Mom and Dad unloaded. School won't start until this Thursday, which is a good thing, as the girls need some downtime. I was also relieved to see almost fully stocked grocery stores. Although we made it through this without much damage, it made me realize what could have been and I could see God's hand. For those who experienced worse events, I am sure they also saw how much worse it could have been except for God's mercy. What an experience! But God saw us through. Copyright 2007 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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