Having driven through Katrina from Jackson to Beaumont, and sat in Houston through Rita after failing to get out of town due to gas shortages, please listen:
If you are in the likely path of this thing, GET OFF THE COMPUTER RIGHT NOW AND GO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS!
Fill your gas tank, get some gallons of water, and if you have dependents get the hell out of town. The odds are you will be fine even if you sit it out, but the fact of the matter is that whole families were buried in the aftermath of Katrina. Entire households drowned.
Godspeed and go take care of storm business. Everything else is secondary right now.
Wise words P144...
Please be aware of the horrific dangers of the flooding that will accompany Irene. Flash floods are deadly.
Last week, Friday afternoon to be exact, a series of quick heavy thunderstorms (nothing like Irene will bring) hit the Pittsburgh area. My youngest son and I took advantage of the “last day of summer vacay” to do a trip to the Pgh Zoo. We left about 2:30ish. The first of the series of t-storms was rolling thru—leaving our route, Washington Boulevard, with heavy run off and ponding of water. I have a sm Jeep..and I felt the “push” of the puddles. Washington Boulevard is a major thorofare (with aging infrastructure) in a big city. About an hour later, and after another sudden two inch down pour, Washington Blvd was suddenly under nine feet of water...nine feet! In a matter of minutes. Four people (a mother and her two little girls in a minivan; and a woman swept out of her car perished).
Please...flooding kills. Like P144 noted if you think youi need to get away...get away now while you can!
Prayers up!