The volume of water surprised everyone. In fact I was out driving yesterday afternoon at the height of the storm. I didn't know the rivers and dams were already overflowing. Apparently a month's worth of rain fell in just 6 hours yesterday. Considering its still monsoon season... its a lot of rain.
My impatience saved me because I decided to head for a nearby bookstore instead of waiting in the traffic jam that I saw. Inside, the store staff traded stories: people seeking shelter at town halls, waterways overflowing, floods nearby. Power was being shut down in some areas because lines were submerged. Nearby buildings were already dark.
So I waited and called my wife on the celphone. I told her to stay at the school. She told me not to take undue risks. I managed to get there when the traffic subsided. The water though was still rising in areas. Water ran like streams down some of the roads I passed. On our way back, I saw water gushing out of the gates of the local pumping station.
When we got back to the house, we hunkered down and started calling. Getting word from our friends and relatives was difficult. The telecom systems were likely swamped. A lot of communication passed through chat, email and Social Networks. Fortunately for us most of our friends and family seemed safe if a bit battered. Sadly, it was really ugly for others. But when this is over I can already hear what people will be saying:
It was bad. It could have been worse.
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