By Pauline Tom.
Nine-inch rain gauges overflowed. Some say we got 9.75 inches before daylight on Halloween morning. Others say 11.00 inches.
Whatever the amount, we know it was enough to cause flooding in some Mountain City houses and garages.
The Cass’s wood floor (intentionally neither glued nor nailed) on Live Oak Court literally floated.
Water flowed into the Wells’ house on Live Oak Drive (from the school land). On Halloween morning they were pushing water out through their front door.
Across the street, trapped water in the Medlock’s garage on Live Oak Drive did not enter their house.
Around the corner on Maple Drive, the Wilson’s garage flooded. Salli reported, “A lot of stuff got wet”. Brian serves on our city council.
There’s a home on Maple with a huge “sinkhole” in the yard, where the surging water ate through the dirt.
The back portion of a home in the 100-block of Pin Oak Drive got flooded. The homeowners were up through the night with push brooms fighting against the water.
Water seeped a few feet into our home on Live Oak Drive through the mortar on the side (while I diverted water from the front by shoveling trenches all through the night.)
The city took a necessary step a few years back that allowed flood insurance for Mountain Cityians. It’s issued by FEMA, through the homeowner’s insurance company. How thankful we are for flood insurance.
Over a month ago, the city council added to the November meeting agenda a report from Mr. Anderson about the “current water situation”.
Too soon, the new city council will be sworn in.
The full agenda for the Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013 at 7 p.m. City of Mountain City city council meeting will be posted on the City’s message boards and online by this weekend.
Up until Halloween, the most threat-filled tidbit came from Bobbie Alexander. Her husband, Dennis, killed a coral snake by their garage on Oct. 28. Kyle Fire Department posted a post-flood rattlesnake photo on the Facebook page on Halloween. Laura Craig sent word, “My dog has killed two coral snakes in our backyard in the past month.” Be careful.
Prayers go out to families nearby who lost loved ones in the Halloween Flood and those with major flood damage.
Please flood me with Mountain City tidbits. A deluge will be no problem at all. (512) 268-5678 or [email protected].
Thanks! Love, Pauline
