My car floated down the river past my house....
As many of you are aware, Ireland has been devastated by floods since early December and each county has its own story of the hardships which were inflicted on so many people. Like all stories in the media, when disasters happen they are only news for so long and people are left to get on with their lives, their distress, their grief and their loss and we never hear or even wonder how they are coping now.
Because the city of Cork is similar to Ile de la Cite in Paris, it is susceptible to floods. The river Lee divides north of the city and comes together again further down the harbour below the city. As the river is tidal, the main city centre receives warning when floods are likely to occur. However, on November 20th 2009, due to unprecedented rainfall, water was released from the ESB dam at Inniscarra which flooded the whole of the city and left many people without homes. Thankfully, no lives were lost.
I live with Sr. Imelda in an old house in Sheare’s St. in the older part of the city behind the Mercy Hospital. Imelda was on retreat that week. I was alone in the house when I was awakened from a deep sleep by a phone call from our 80 year old neighbour, Sheila, who told me that my car was floating past the house. When I looked out the third floor window, Sheare’s St. was like a river. People were using boats to transfer patients from the Mercy Hospital. It was a very strange sight.
I could see cars, wheelie bins, bottles, and crates, refuse, sewage and barrels floating and swirling in the water as far back as the eye could see. Each time the army trucks drove by, the house was swamped by the waves made by the vehicles. The constant sound of the Fire Brigade and ambulances was like something from a movie!
I stayed at the window watching this scene for hours. Then I went downstairs and saw that the front garden was flooded and the water was moving steadily towards the front door. When I looked out the back door, I saw that the garden was flooded also. I could hear the sounds and voices of people as they went to the assistance of the elderly people in the S.H.A.R.E. houses behind us. (S.H.A.R.E. is a housing complex set up by Bro Jerome of the Presentation Bothers College in conjunction with Cork City Council, providing housing for the elderly. The Students of the College fundraise, visit the residents and look after the houses.)
I felt calm during it all. I began to move furniture, computer etc. to the first floor. At high tide, around 7.30pm, the ground floor, including the sitting room, kitchen, bathroom etc. were flooded. As I watched the water coming in, I began to realise that no matter what I did, I could not stop the water coming into the house. This was the situation for much of the day. As the water began to recede in the late afternoon, I scooped and brushed as much water as I could out the front and back doors. The carpet had absorbed water, so I took it and the underlay up and left it outside the door. I had a call from the Mercy Hospital asking if I needed the army to help me leave the house! I declined that offer and said “I will stay with the sinking ship”!
I rang my friends and between us we did some more cleaning up. At this point, Imelda returned, accompanied by Sr Julia, wellingtons and drinking water! We then went to examine our cars to discover that they had been under 4ft. of water and were completely destroyed. Our belongings which were in the cars we took home to try and salvage.
I met my neighbours and we swapped flood stories and helped one another as best we could. Many of their homes were in a much worse state than ours and many were without heating or water.
With Srs Hilary and Maria’s assistance, the Provincial services were at our disposal. The following hours, days and weeks were spent in discussions with insurance assessors, quantity surveyor and making arrangements for viewing of the house and cars. Builders, plumbers, electricians, carpet layers, painters and decorators then began work on restoring order. Though it was an experience one would not wish to repeat, we are very grateful to everyone for their immediate offers of support and help.
The truly amazing outcome is the kindness that surfaces when a crisis happens and our experience has been one of immense kindness from a variety of people and sources.
Sr Catherine Ann Cronin.
Meanwhile, in Peru …
On March 3rd, the river Quitamayo suddenly burst its banks and swept seven women to their deaths as they worked on a State Programme cleaning the river basin. Hilda was 45 and Benedicta 46. This is just one of many tragic news items that have touched our hearts here in Peru during the first months of the year.
Since January, heavy and continuous rains have resulted in severe flooding and destructive landslides. Rivers have overflowed causing loss of human and animal life, destruction of homes and agricultural lands along with their precious crops. Rock-and-mudslides have swallowed entire homes - in some cases entire villages - and made roads impassable. Bridges have collapsed and the railway line to the national sanctuary Machu Picchu has suffered severe damage.
The January floods in the Cusco area reached world headlines but almost all regions of Peru have suffered tragedies due to the inclemency of the weather. Each year the rainy season takes its toll on infrastructure, but also and tragically on people, their homes and crops. 2010 has experienced much more devastation than normal.
This week the population of Cusco and its surrounding towns and villages plan a 24 hour peaceful demonstration to call on Central Government to provide additional funding for the reconstruction of the area. Work did begin immediately on the railway line to Machu Picchu with the intention of having it operating for tourists by April 1st. Unfortunately the reconstruction that is necessary to facilitate the lives of the local people is not treated with the same urgency. The poor are expected to wait. Let´s hope the planned cry for justice will fall on listening ears.
Natural disasters touch the core of all of us and can leave us with a feeling of helplessness. But much can be done at the level of preparation so that consequences are less severe. Peru, however, does not score highly on preparation for the natural disasters which are part of life here, nor on reconstruction afterwards, as is evident in the earthquake area around Pisco and Ica three years on.
And it is the poor who suffer most. Can we hear their cry?
Sr Maureen Kelly
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