Thanks for everyone's concern. The catters that I know down here are all fine. I was in Austin (about 3 hours drive NW of Houston) the whole time and missed all the drama but came home to a dry house. We all think of Houston as very flat, but of course, running water knows it's just not true. Catter Bill Galbraith's house was fine but the houses across the street had some flooding and cars on his street were flooded too. Some people say that streets were 6 feet deep in water. Scotsbard lives quite close to one of the bayous but he is OK.

It's such a strange phenomenon, this street flooding in places miles away from bodies of water. One friend swears the water was coming up out of the storm sewer, not going into it. Our water table is so high that the ground gets inundated and then the rain has nowhere to go. Parts of Houston received 3 feet of rain. It's really unimaginable. The weathermen said the conditions were a perfect rainmaker. This 3 feet figure may have been over the 5 days when Tropical Storm Allison hung around or maybe it was one night. I'm not sure.

At least 1600 cars have been towed from underground parking areas in the downtown area. Some of these garages were 3 or 4 levels underground. I heard that a wall broke which allowed the bayou to flow in. Many businesses were closed yesterday and today. Estimates of $1 billion worth of damages sustained. The Theater District was hit hard with flooded floors housing costumes and stage sets.

A reported 20 deaths. Mostly drownings but some electrocutions. Emergency help was totally overwhelmed. So many people were stranded on rooftops. Freeways turned into rivers. 18 wheelers floated down the roads. The medical center has suffered greatly with the loss of many lab animals and years of research stored in basements. One report I heard said that at one point people were working in the basement and then 20 minutes later the basement was full. I think it's very hard to estimate the power that water has. The pictures and stories continue but I just can't imagine it all.

As usual, Houstonians are chipping in with all methods of help. Paddling boats to rescue stranded folks, donating clothes and money. Unfortunately, it's so often the tragic that brings people together.

Thanks again to Roger who started this thread and the rest of you who are concerned. The mudcat community is a strong and caring group and it's comforting to know that people around the world are aware of what is happening in other places and care enough to ask.

emily b