Sunday, June 23, 2013

History changes Geography

First sight! Definitely NOT love
 It has been raining almost continuously for the past 2 months. The ground was saturated and could take in no more.
I found myself looking up to the sky and wondering what's wrong? It doesn't seem right. This kind of weather in Calgary? Everything was so green that it should've been Vancouver.

Most people(almost the entire population) who live in Canada have a vitamin D deficiency. I am one among them. So, the Sun being absent is noticed. Missed. Even if it is for a day.

The trees in the middle is what remains of  Princes Island Park
As it is, we get nice weather for 6 months in a year. I wasn't ready to part with 2 more months. 

We live farther away from the river. In fact, until people called/emailed to check on me(thanks all) I wasn't even aware of the flooding situation.
The part of the city I live in has more open area. If the rain stopped for 2 hours, the road dried up.

I had no idea that all that storm water ended up in the river.

It was scary! It was sad! It was truth!

Memorial drive, that runs parallel to the river in the city
 Calgary downtown was flooded apart from many other towns and cities. Practically, every creek had become a river and every flat area around the river had become an unusable, dangerous pool. Not to mention the rivers that were impregnated from all the creeks.

We were asked to stay at home unless absolutely needed.

So, when the local TV gave us a spot to watch "the bow", we rushed in.


Watching photos and videos on TV was not even close to seeing it in front of one's own eyes. I couldn't speak. The level of water was shocking. unimaginable. Yet, there it was. The playground that S loved was under water. Most of Princes Island was below water. The water level touched the many bridges across the Bow. Let me explain. No, it is simply Unexplainable!!!

people flocked to crescent rd which has the best views of downtown
I have heard about many emergency situations around the world. Used to ask a million times to Amma how was it like during the emergency situation post Indira Gandhi's assassination. It was traumatic to hear. Unbelievable! Could not imagine the place I lived then to be something else?
But this, this goes down in the history of this city. It has never happened before.



   
They are standing on the median of a road. No demarcation between river and road!


I will let the photos speak.
The rains have stopped.
Things will be ok soon.
A new landscape will be formed.
The new generation may not know, but people who have seen this will never forget this. I know I will not!

We visited another known place along the river. I have never seen the river like this. It is wild!  

We came back home. And there was no sign of any flood whatsoever. Wow!


We are all safe. Hopefully, the evacuated people can go back in to their homes soon!!!