Rain and flooding

[Mikeh]

Is the rain in Oklahoma creating problems at the Newell plant? I hope the rain will soon stop. Best wishes for the people in that area. Mike

[karlb]

Is the rain in Oklahoma creating problems at the Newell plant? I hope the rain will soon stop. Best wishes for the people in that area. Mike

We appreciate the concern. We are relatively lucky. The plant and offices are about five miles north of the flooded areas. Some of the employees have homes at risk, and we will know more after the long holiday weekend. (The plant and service department worked an extra day prior to the holiday to get 7/5 off.)

Karl Blade

[Mikeh]

Maybe the rain is gone for a while. We are hoping a few days of dry weather will save everybody's home, and boost their morale.

[fulltiming]

Looks like Miami took a big hit.

From CNN this morning:
So far, the heaviest flood damage has been in Miami, Oklahoma, where the Neosho River crested at about 29 feet, its highest stage since 1951. The river was not expected to be back within its banks until late Sunday.

About 600 homes and businesses were believed damaged, City Manager Mike Spurgeon said. More than 30 roads in the area were still closed Thursday.

"We're starting to see an average drop of about a half-inch every hour," Spurgeon said, though he estimated it could take six months to a year to rebuild in the parts of town most heavily damaged.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected.

[karlb]

Looks like Miami took a big hit.

From CNN this morning:
So far, the heaviest flood damage has been in Miami, Oklahoma, where the Neosho River crested at about 29 feet, its highest stage since 1951. The river was not expected to be back within its banks until late Sunday.

About 600 homes and businesses were believed damaged, City Manager Mike Spurgeon said. More than 30 roads in the area were still closed Thursday.

"We're starting to see an average drop of about a half-inch every hour," Spurgeon said, though he estimated it could take six months to a year to rebuild in the parts of town most heavily damaged.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected.

Update from Miami:

Those living and working in the flooded area in and around Miami are facing significant disruptions and challenges. That said, the impact is largely in low-lying areas that have experienced flooding every few years.

The residents and businesses in the flooded areas typically are aware of the risk and mitigate the impact of floods, both with lower purchase costs for these homes and flood insurance. Indeed, the fact that Federally-subsidized flood insurance is still available for homes that have had repeated, large claims filed over the last 20 years is a bit of a local scandal. Over the years, there have been some government-funded "buy-outs" of homes within the flood plain, but this program is far from complete.

The situation implied in the media is one of widespread flood damage in and around Miami. While this flood is serious, perhaps 90 percent of the community is not directly affected.

Karl