Four people have been confirmed dead since the
harrowing floods began Wednesday. And hundreds of others have not been
heard from in the flood zone, which has grown to cover portions of an
area nearly the size of Connecticut.
Some of those who are unaccounted for may be
stranded or injured. Others might have gotten out but not yet contacted
friends and relatives, officials said.
Police expected to find more bodies as the full scope of damage emerges.
A woman was missing and presumed dead after
witnesses saw floodwaters from the Big Thompson River destroy her home
in the Cedar Cove area, Larimer County sheriff’s spokesman John Schulz
said.
‘‘I expect that we’re going to continue to
receive reports of confirmed missing and confirmed fatalities throughout
the next several days,’’ he said.
The military put more troops on the ground and
helicopters in the air to aid in the search-and-rescue effort. More
rain was in the forecast.
By midday Saturday, nearly 800 people had been
evacuated, National Guard Master Sgt. Cheresa Theiral said. More than
700 people spent Friday night in shelters, according to the Red Cross.
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I was with my wife and daughter on a trip to Lake Tahoe a few winters ago and there were at least 15 kids staying at a large 5 bedroom home there. We had rented another home but found we couldn't get in and out even though we had a 4 wheel drive. A total of 4 feet of snow came down and another father and I were the only ones who knew really how to deal with this situation. No car could go in or out for about 1 to 2 miles from where we were. We found a driveway type snow plow at the rental unit. Since It was fairly heavy duty this other father and I opened up the driveway and plowed as much of the road as we could with it over 2 days time so at least people could walk out of there. Because if you don't have snow shoes most people aren't going very far in 4 feet of snow on top of the 2 or 3 feet that was already there when we got there. So, by keeping shoveling and plowing we were able to help people there not panic. The mothers kept the 14 and 15 year olds entertained and one father and I tried to open up the road so we could get our cars out. By the 3rd day there we were starting to run out of food so several people walked a mile or two through the snow and caught a cab to the market and back with groceries.
So, I guess what I'm saying is without roads, without food, without clean water, without electricity things can get real serious very fast especially if someone forgot their medicines or gets injured or freaks out and can't be calmed down.
By myself I have mostly been okay with a wood stove in a cabin with food and water and a kerosene lantern but not everyone is okay just with that. And even now that was the 1970s and parts of the 1980s. I've been pretty spoiled myself since about the mid 1990s at this point. What I'm getting at is: What can you usefully deal with in situations like this? IT is important to know what you can and can't deal with no matter what happens.
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