raptureready

We do that here too, usually after a tornado. Several years ago a tornado almost completely destroyed the small village just 5 miles to the North of us. People came from all around to help, farmers brough in endloaders, wagons, trucks, etc. to help remove debris. Even prisoners were brought in to help clean up. People donated food to feed everyone, donated their time to serve food to the workers, donated toys and clothing, basically did whatever was needed to help put that little town back together again. The residents and neighbors of Langley will too. Although the tragic losses of lives and property will never be forgotten, life in some form will continue. The town will recover and go back to a resemblance of normal after awhile as will the families. It won't be easy but somehow it will happen.

JoanneS

Marsye, thank you for being our personal reporter on this tragedy. We'll probably never know the real extent of it - but your account makes it much more real than what I've seen and hear on tv. Just the thought of those poor people in tents makes me realize how vulnerable we can be.

One of the pictures on the news last night showed an RV that was thrust vertically against a house. The people in in the RV managed to get the rear door open and the people in the house helped them get out into the SECOND floor of the house. Imagining the force of that flash flood is almost impossible.

My stomach clenched when you told us about the busload of Boy Scouts. Thank goodness they're ok and helping others. I used to be a Girl Scout leader, and every time we went on a weekend camping trip, my inner anxieties wouldn't let me rest until we got those young ladies safely home.

marsye

That house was one of the rent cabins which I believe is now gone too. There were many RV's just thrown everywhere. It was a rush of 23 foot high water that is normally 3 foot deep. They said the water was moving at about 55 mph.

redquilter

I don't think most of us can fully realize such a thing happening. I know I can't. Living in a city we've never seen anything like it. Thank you Marsye for being our eyes during this catastrophy.

marsye

This was a freak event. You can't let this prevent you from camping again! The rain clouds just stopped right over this area and exploded. We only got 1 1/4" here. I really don't think there was time to warn people because it was unexpected. I've lived here most of my life and have never heard of this happening in the area. It may never happen again and then again it could happen tomorrow.

grandma Janice

Marcye, I use to live in Northwest Arkansas and we use to camp out just north of there at Crystal Springs Camp ground so I am familure with that area. Normally very beautiful. I agree that you can't stop camping just because this happened. Just be aware of where you set up your camp. I made my husband break camp once in the middle of the night in pouring rain because we were camped beside a stream that had a Mountain on one side of the creek and a clift on the otherside of the road. After it rained most of the night, I made him move us up to higher place till morning. He kidded me about that until we found out that that stream had a flash flood later that year. I don't hear about that anymore. This could happen anywhere. We had the remnents of a hurricane that moved into Oklahoma two years ago and there was flash flooding that took out most of a town (on the plains...) so live your life and don't let this kind of thing keep you from enjoying whatever.....

JoanneS

It is also in a a bowl with hills/mountains on all sides, which means the rain has nowhere else to go. So the combination of a stalled rain storm and that bowl meant an EXTREME flash flood down that river.

raptureready

It's an absolute miracle that anyone survived that kind of devastation. Especially with it happening in the wee morning hours.

quilting memaw

by the time fema would get there, everything will be done....it's the community that makes it....Marsye, I'm so glad you were not taken away from us! I'm not ready to loos a new friend like you! Our prayers to all of those involved and those who have been stricken with this tragedy.

marsye

Now only 3 missing instead of 22 like they thought. They have located them. They took off for home when they got out. So its looking a little better!