To answer the house fire question, sparks from water meeting the electrical system have been reported as the likely cause.

As for flooding being exacerbated by population density increases, this seems likely to me, but city zoning standards tend to include creation of holding ponds sufficient to contain a hundred-year flood -- taking into account population density and building. This might suggest the need to review building standards for roads, bridges, and waterways, but I question whether that would have made much difference. Twenty inches of water over such a short time floods deserts with no inhabitants, homes, or paved roads.

Psychologically, many draw comfort identifying the victim as the perpetrator of their own suffering, because it suggests those exercising judgment are not jeopardized by unforeseen and uncontrollable forces (weather, in this case). Pleasantly, the locals are hardy, resilient, good humored, and charitable (I grew up in Powder Springs and Mableton, with lifelong friends still there). Therefore, an uninformed, self-comforting opinion or two is understandable, and I'm sure the locals understand that and, candidly, are too preoccupied with more immediate considerations.

The people in this area are strong and they will get through this, but I'm sure they could use a little help right now. I like a small charity called Portlight Strategies whose mission is to help the victims who might go unnoticed; the poor, the elderly, the disabled.
Their web address is: http://www.portlight.org/
(I'm not connected with this organization in any way.)
I feel so sad for the families of the people who lost their lives in the flood. I hope they know people around the country, and the world, are thinking of them and hoping that they will be able to keep moving forward through this terrible time.

How about, when a natural disaster strikes, people stop making stupid, ignorant comments about how the residents "should have known better." That's what is known as the "just world fallacy," and it's called a fallacy for a reason...which is that it's dead stupid and wrong. Sometimes, stuff just happens and there's no way to prevent it. There's yet another fallacy involved, which is that when cities are struck by natural or other disasters it somehow has nothing to do with everyone else.

Some areas are more prone to certain problems than others. But cities are located where they are for reasons. Atlanta grew up around a railroad hub on the Piedmont fall line. New Orleans is where it is for the same reason Jefferson bought the place....because the mouth of the Mississippi is the biggest port in the Western Hemisphere. Those things are important, which you should know if you paid attention in fifth grade social studies.

If you are a US citizen, no matter where you live you benefit from the existence of cities like New Orleans and San Francisco and Atlanta and New York and all of the trade that goes through them. You get a lot more OUT of those cities than you pay into them with taxes for disaster relief (which is also available for you in any case), plus in order for those cities to function people need to LIVE there. So quit acting like, when something bad happens, it's only their problem. That attitude is both immoral AND short-sighted.

I hope this isn't signaling the beginning of the future ,our ignorance toward global warming has created.

A "100 year flood plain" means that there is a 1% chance of flooding each year, NOT a 100% chance of flooding once every 100 years.

I feel so sad for all people who have lost some much, my thoughts and prayers go out them. things are bad enough, hang in there and aloha for hawaii

I feel so sad for all people who have lost some much, my thoughts and prayers go out them. things are bad enough, hang in there and aloha for hawaii

All the idiots criticizing government help are just what they are--IDIOTS.
We should be using OUR TAX DOLLARS to help our fellow Americans and not wasting our monies on unappreciative foreigner who accept our generosity then criticize us 2 days later for not doing more. NOW STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER,AMERICA. We need to unite as we did on
9/11!!

#10 kills me. That poor family..

Et Dieu dans tout ça ???

interesting

Que d'eau, que d'eau ! (citation / quotation))

Now demolish all the sodden houses and rebuild them all with all the wood, electrics, insulation and anything else you don't want submerged at least one foot above that high-water mark.

We really need to stop building within five times a river's normal width of its banks and stop building less than its depth above it, and stop concreting over the catchment areas in general, so the rain can soak into something and maybe evaporate from a few trees rather than being funnelled into the rivers straight away.

I think New Orleans should have been rebuilt on stilts, with raised walkways on both sides of every street, plenty of foot-bridges and a cable-car system replacing the streetcars. You could make the cable cars siilar in style and decorate them the same way, cover the stilts, concrete columns or whatever in interesting carvings, put solar panels on the roofs and water-purifiers on every street or even in every house and live above the flood level. Next time the levees go and the river and the sea come in to swirl around the town, you could carry on as normal above it. Just don't let the tourists get so drunk they fall over the railings into Bourbon Canal.

May our Lord Jesus Christ remember all those who have lost their loved ones, their properties and others.
May god give them strength to overcome the hanship they are going through.
God bless you, God bless American
Evangelistshimon@yahoo.co.uk

Flogging Murphy is just like a lot of smug, complacent Yankees who think Southerners and anyone who chooses to live in the South automatically have intelligence deficits. As someone whose family is both North and South, I've even seen it from relatives who questioned my parents decision to retire in the South. And, as another poster mentioned, just try going up Nawth with any trace of South in your accent and you'll be treated like a dummy.

Oh and Murphy? These were not flood plains. What do you think would happen to Boston if you got 13 inches of rain in 36 hours? There are plenty of places where the storm sewers would not be able to handle it and lowlying ground (what do you think a fen is? It's a MARSH) would flood, even with the Bay at your east.
Don't you remember the floods a couple of years back in New Hampshire? Did you snark about THOSE folks living in flood plains?

While the areas aren't normally flood prone, I wonder if development in the past 100 years has restricted drainage, i.e. culverts and roads restrict the ability of streams to carry the rainwater away quickly, pavement restricts the ability of the ground to absorb the water. This is a problem in any urban/suburban area, I have experienced similar flooding, including on roads and caused by blocked culverts, bridges, dams, and other constructed drainage structures -- but to a lesser degree and in a more localized way -- in the Northeast several times.

But I guess the last time there may have been a flood this bad (>100 or 200 years ago? Anyone know of any historical records?), the area would have been mostly a couple of farms, woods, etc. with small towns on the higher areas and it would not have impacted so many people.

I live right among where all this happened in Marietta, GA. The devestation is horrible and these pictures are just the begining of the story. Some of these people were ineligable for flood insurance because they didn't live in the "flood plain" and some never thought they would need it. Others were denied claims because of how the damage came to their house. When you read other stories from people who had flooding during Hurricane Ike, they will say it was nothing compared to this. The grandparents who lost their grandchild is the most heart-wrenching story, I think, to come out of this tragedy. I am grateful and thank God everyday that myself and my loved ones were safe during the storms. There were houses 2 miles from me completely submerged and we escaped with no damage whatsoever. The storms happened so fast that some people didn't have time to react. Streets that I took on my way home from work were flooded less than a couple hours later. Having gone so long in a drought and then getting so much rain in such a short time is what caused a lot of the problems. In case you didn't know, some parts of Georgia are still under a flash flood warning until late Sat (26th) evening.

To #85 - "do something constructive" ..to actually help them, raise cash, help out with the relief effort etc. That is far more constructive than praying to a God. Having your prayers with them doesn't make their lives easier or any better, it does *nothing*

I'm from the Atlanta area, and I'd just like to point out that #1 was on the front cover of one of the newspapers. Under the picture it said that she did get help from the Georgia Police.

It seems that a much faster reaction by government officials occurred this time.

I'm from about 20 minutes away from these areas, and as many others have said, those areas are not flood prone. This kind of thing just doesn't happen here.
As fast as this happened, it's amazing that more lives weren't lost, and part of that is because citizens helped take care of each other, and get their neighbors to safety.

One of the news shows here showed 2 men paddle to a house on air mattresses because they thought a little girl was in the house, and the water was rising too fast to wait for the firemen. They didn't even know the family that lived there, they just went to get her. These are the kinds of people that remind me why I live in this country, and in this state.

And just on a slight side note, it is clear that the nurse from pic #23 doesn't have just a job, she has a calling.
CrI give a heartfelt thanks to all people who have helped (both rescue and monetary) and to all those who help in the future.

Number 13 awesome

I simply adore all of these, especially number thirteen. There is beauty everywhere, and it is even more touching when you can find it in tragedy. Hopefully, this rain will end the drought Georgia's been in... though without more flooding!

"BEACH BASH CANCELED"

Also the "No Parking" sign.
Just a touch ironic, eh? Great photos. Horrible situation. :(

Please stop with the pointless political comments, praying comments, etc.
Just demand that insurance companies do what they are paid to do and HELP these folks.

This CAN happen to you.

#6 The perfect splash mountain!.

#13 L'Amore..

#10, Dear Pat Crawford, my deepest condolences for the loss of your Grandson. I pray you and all will find renewed comfort during this time. Hope these areas will not see such a flood again.

glad I work at home on a hill.

Quite unfortunate to those that suffered this.
Even if no insurance companies 'local' to you offer flood insurance ... you CAN still get it. It may not help any for this devastation. But it sure can help for the future.

I hope everybody in the flood is ok. I'm sorry for all the losses they hav e. Your freind in washington.

Flogging Murphy really stole the moment from these poor Georgians!!!

A glimpse of the wonderful wacky world of global warming. Droughts and torrential rain, rising water and famine.

Remember that the coal companies call their pollution "life."

This is just a preview of the disasters to come.

All you people who are judging the people whom were affected need to come down see this for your self. The majority of people affected by this do not live in areas that are consider flood zones. The national weather specialists are calling this a "500 Year Flood" versus a "100 Year Flood" because of the high probabilty of it happening again. Now all these will suffer because of some blood sucking clause that the insurance companies came up with to not cover all this damage.....

I feel for you all. I was flooded during hurricane Ivan. If you haven't already, grab the bleach, mix it with water in a spray bottle (bug sprayer type is the best) and spray all your walls from the water-line down before it dries. Much of your drywall will have to be torn out more than likely....Spray the studs in the walls. All this will prevent the health hazard-type molds. Certainly, your insurance companies have a stipulation in the contract that removes them from some responsibility to pay if you don't take measures to remove or fix things that could cause further damage while waiting for them to come look at your property. Hold your heads up, keep on trudging through. You can and will make it.

Terrible losses. these folks are resilient though. In three years there will be little sign of this - except the deep hurt from lost life and bad memories. Small changes and a lot of seemingly unimportant details combine sometimes for disasters like this. Already wet ground. A strong season long jet stream holding fronts away and then shifting down. The weather models just cant account for everything. It could happen again in a hundred or two hundred years. I guess lake Lanier is full again though.

Amazing pictures.

To all those who think the people effected should not have suffered, GET LOST! Nature deals out what it deals out. There is a flood standard called the "100 Year Storm". Within 100 years of this event there has been a bigger flood (1919), yet you went ahead and bought or built within the flood zone.

Then this flood happened, and you say it is not your fault!!?? Humans have the capacity to think ahead, but you simply did not. Hell, umbrellas were invented because sometimes it rains, so why not build where floods won't occur, or build on stilts (as they do in The Outer Banks of North Carolina, so your propery can survive floods and even Hurricanes.

Oh, WHAT, too much work?? Serves you damn right, quit taking taxpayers' money just to assuage your stupidity.

#23 - HERO!

Flogging Murphy (#8) is an idiot

My heart goes out to all of the flood victims in GA & TN & other affected areas during the 2009 flood in September. I'm from Iowa in Cedar Rapids and Last June (2008) we had a huge flood that went outside the 500 year flood plain. I am sympathetic. There are so many people that lost everything and have to uproot.
I hope you all can find the strength to keep going. This is not the end.

@78 and 79
I hear you, prayer never helpt anybody. Action and compassion is what these people need.

IN GOD WE TRUST

#23

Amazed @ the level of people taking offense to Flogging's post.

@ Richard: really offensive; people in general don't have the capacity to think 100 years ahead; why do you think we elect/appoint officials to four-year terms?

What strikes me as odd is that tragedies like this affect many god-fearing people (and sinners, too) to an almost biblical proportion. Yet no-one is saying "Ok, that's it; clearly there is no divine intelligence working its plan with our lives. This is just random "wrong place wrong time" stuff and let's stop pretending there is some moral high ground to congregating to profess our belief in something that clearly does not care for us in the way that we should like to believe."

I sincerely hope that the communities affected and those surrounding find a way within themselves to cope with this great loss and my heart goes out to all of you.

We all share this world together! and need to help each other out. What is wrong with socialism anyway. The residence of GA are the nicest people you ever did want to meet, like the people of Arkansas, good, hard working, down to earth people! They will give the shirt of their back to help out anyone. The government walks to a different tune than the American people. Give them enough rope and they will see themselves. But for the floods of GA! Let the hearts of Americans shine! or as the Lord said Don't hide your light under a lampshade!

Please also look at the flooding in the Philippines...

May God bless you and keep you in your hour of need, especially to those lovely souls in #10, #16, #17.

Great post, HoldYourHeadsUpHigh - mold will be a huge problem but it can still be allayed by quick action.

My best wishes to all in the affected areas. I live near San Francisco, CA, but it doesn't really matter. No matter where you are, there's some sort of natural disaster to watch out for. All you can do is survive, deal with the damage, and then learn and be ready for the next one. And since I'm sure we'll need help here sometime in the future, I'm going to do what I can to help out when disaster strikes elsewhere.

Its very easy to sit back in the comfort of our homes watching tragedy and disaster on CNN, FoxNews or whatever your favorite, passing judgment on the victims for the choices they've made that put them in harms way. The truth is no matter who you are or where you live you're not exempt. Whether its flooding, drought, famine, wildfires, earthquakes, mudslides, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards or even man-made disasters we've seen it often and we've seen it all over the world. Those of you who have been fortunate enough to avoid disaster should thank God for blessing you. And may God bless the victims and familes of those who have not been quite as fortunate.

SIENTO MUCHO LO QUE LES OCURRIO. SOY BOMBERO Y SE LO QUE ES SENTIR EL DOLOR AJENO. MIS CONDOLENCIAS.
C-7

I lived through the floods in Wilmington NC after Hurricane Floyd.
We in Atlanta got more rain last week, and it seemed a lot harder than we got then.
I couldn't believe the rain. There was a time when I felt like the whole town was in a floodplain, Flogging Murphy.
Come down here and help clean up, will ya?

How sad
I'll pray for them all.

Thank you everyone that set these idiots straight on exactly why this flood is not an everyday occurrence. I owned a house right off Thorton Rd. not over 5 miles from Six Flags, and in all my 41 years it has NEVER flooded. It has been raining nonstop in GA for over a week and this is the results. It's raining right now. I have seen high water, but nothing to this extent. People amaze me when the first knee jerk reaction they have is to think that individuals would purposely seek out homes in potential flood zones or just up and buy and house without evaluating the surrounding terrain. I am beginning to think these are the same people that own trailers in various tornado allies in Kansas. Going back to my southern roots, "Ya'll need to shutup and rebuild." What thoughtless comments!

ok good

This photo essay is unbelievable and shows the extent of the devastation. #10 blew me away and I researched the story of little Preston Slade Crawford, the 2 year old who was swept to his death out of his own father's arms as he was trying to save his family. Georgia and California (where I live) are so different in many ways, but right now I feel that we are the same... the pain of loss like that transcends everything... we are all human... the loss of a child in this way has to be probably the most painful thing a family has to endure. God bless those people who suffered and especially, the parents of that little boy.

p.s. you're supposed to ignore the commenters who make inflammatory comments... they're called trolls... and they are trolling to get people riled up and incensed... that is actually their modus operandus, making petty comments when most other people are being genuine humans. Ignore these small minded little idiots and they usually just go away.

pic 13... Noy with wife (?)

Is saw the women in #10 on Jamie Olivers culinairy quest in america. So sad she has to go through this.

*10 is the saddest and most affecting picture I think you've ever shown. Heart rending.

Events like these are always distressing regardless of where or to whom they happen. They serve to remind us that ultimately we are not the masters of this planet and that mother nature, no matter how much damage we inflict through our incessant abuse of natural resources, will always have the power to smack us all down like flies at a moment's notice. My deepest sympathies to the people affected by these floods. I hope your homes and families will return as close to normal as they can soon.

hello, I'm a photographer, I really like this web, there are amazing photos,
does anyone knows another web like this one.

thanks a lot.

A**holes and opinions- we all have them. Too bad some opinions are hurtful, rude, ugly, and ignorant but let them roll off your back like water.

This gives you perspective on the other natural disaster occurances we see on this site. I live in DeKalb county on a hill, ane other than traffic issues last Wed and a lot of rain, was not affected at all. I was as stunned to see these pictures as many of you were in other parts of the country.
Metro Atlanta is a very hilly place with lots of contrasts in the terrain.(try bicycling here some time!).

Hey Flogging Murphy - don't let all those folks who didn't stop for a nano second to try and understand your message get you down. If they had stopped, they would see that you were just asking a question, but that you really do have compassion for the victims of this natural disaster.

And what's with assuming that you come from Boston or are a Yank? There are people with Irish surnames living all over this country - hey, maybe you are even living in Ireland! Come on people! FL's comment wasn't that bad!

The pics are stunning, as usual, and I think "The Big Picture" is one of the best sites around. I frequently forward it on to friends.

I hope the victims of this flood are treated better than those of Katrina and that their lives can return to normal soon.

20 inches of rain is no more unusual than 5 tornadoes hitting Wisconsin in January and people out in their yards cutting fallen trees in t-shirts, in January, in Wisconsin. Happens all the time. Get used to it. It's climate change. Here in Nebraska we had hail 7 inches in diameter last year. World's record.

To Kevin and those of his ilk. Did you send a personal donation to help out? I doubt it. I suspect you just want the government to do it with others' money.... taken from them at the point of a gun by the Congress and the IRS.

I wasn't trying to cause ire of the massess, but I guess I have. I was simply pointing out the same thing that is said of every other flood in my area by people from around the country. I don't think southerners are any more ignorant than those that do the same thing in my area. I truly do hope those people do make it through their struggles. I even stated that. But nature has made it somewhat obivous to me that if you live near a major water source, even it does this once in every 100 years, then it doesn't seem that sensible.

I often say the same things of the people from the area I live in the Mid-west, that complain every other year the MIssouri and Mississippi rivers flood. Those people who are upset that their lake front, beach front, or (in the SE area) ocean front homes wash away when a massive storm rolls through and then expect the US taxpayer to cover them because they wouldn't cover themselves with their own insurance. I do belive that is insane, ignorant, or careless.

However I don't support relocating people to flood prone areas, everything should be done to help those people move on to a better, more safe place to live. That would include Minneaplois, New Orleans, Atlanta, Des Moines, St Louis, etc. Everytime a disaster likes this occur, it is not the weather to blame, it is man's ignornace to belive he can control nature or knows what nature will do. Especially when they go right back in and rebuild it exactly as it was before. Like nothing ever happened. Even the mighty Army Corps of Engineers can't predict what a 100 year flood will look like. Escpecially when the landscape in 100 years will be entirely different as we humans change it.

Whether I come off cold and heartless is up to you. But, professional Troll, I don't think so. I just put things into perspective. The real world sucks, especially when it causes pain like this. Almost everyone has a choice of where they live, regardless of means. If you have two feet, anywhere can be yours, you only need the time and courage to make it happen. The only thing holding you back is your sense of you, not me, not the governement, not your situation, you.

---------------------------------------------------
BTW to people who think that is an Einstein quote, you are wrong as I am wrong about it being Ben Franklin. The quote has been misattributed to them over the years. It actually origniated as an ancient Chinese proverb, that has been revived in a 1983 book (p68) by Rita Mae Brown "Sudden Death". It has since distorted and misattributed through the internet and media as belonging to both men.

It makes no sense to me that regular house insurance will cover water damamge in your house if a tree falls on it, but won't conver water damage if by a flood.

I thought this was going to be about South East Asia, the Philippines got hit hard and around 200 ppl died already. Also a word of advice for the statians, build brick houses.

Por Dios, por Santo, it's not God's work to hurt people. It's a flood prone area and planners should use their brains in locating high elevated areas for their housing projects. And a sound drainage master plan.

GOD BLESS ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN GEORGIA. THIS IS SUCH A TRAGEDY AND I HOPE THEY CAN REGAIN THEIR LOSSES AND CONTINUE TO BE STRONG. I HOPE WE WILL FIND IT IN OUR HEARTS TO HELP ONE ANOTHER.

Photo #13, when they give you lemons... make lemonade.

Incendiary Comments for asking why people would want to live in a flood zone (even if it turns out Atlanta isn't in the flood zone)?

Flogging asked a good question. I can't understand why people get so defensive. Why is the Federal government rebuilding New Orleans? It's a flood zone. Why should my tax dollars go to support people who consistently build their houses on sand?

Not incendiary, but a real life fiscal question.

Flogging Murphy, you are missing the point. Floods of this sort are NOT to be expected in Atlanta. Pure and simple. Atlanta is NOT New Orleans. Where should we live? Under your rules, I shouldn't live in Seattle. There COULD be flooding here, yes, even in my house although I live at 300 ft. Ditto Portland, San Fran, LA and pretty much the entire West Coast (earthquakes/tsunamis/flooding). The whole Gulf Coast is out (hurricanes/flooding/tornadoes). We can't live on the East Coast (hurricanes/flooding). Much of the interior of the country is vulnerable to tornadoes or flooding because of proximity to rivers or creeks. Get my point? EVERY major city is vulnerable in some way.

Guess what? It's even worse than that. MANY areas of the country (not just the West Coast) are at least potential risk for a once-in-a-thousand-years earthquake. See?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ypalM7eSBEQ/SdzT_ajylVI/AAAAAAAAAbM/XNB1-z6lvKg/s1600-h/tectonic_map.jpg

What about the large fire risk in drought areas that are over developed?

You don't say specifically where you live, but I guarantee you that SOME sort of natural disaster might one day befall you and your community. I hope that it doesn't. You DEPEND upon all of these areas I've mentioned for the goods and services you buy every day. It is in your own self-interest to live in a thriving America. MAYBE if the Government seized ALL the land in the country and apportioned it out parcel by parcel to everyone and forbade dense development, MAYBE we wouldn't have disasters like this ...

but what kind of country would that be?

It's rarely mentioned but prior to the two days of flooding it had been raining almost none stop for about a week. What happened was a gradual saturation of every inch of soil for days on end with the waterways and spill over's already quite full. Then the sky opened up and didn't stop for pretty much 36 hours. For the 15 years I've lived here, I have never seen such rain. Our home is 30 feet above the record setting (set in 1919 and can't exactly be blamed on global warming or too much pavement...) high flood mark of a nearby creek and we have a decent view of it but are never in any danger of flooding. The only time water would be able to reach us is if a flood came that would essentially wipe the city of Atlanta off the map. But even in our location water seeped into the basement through the foundation because there was so much of it. It was amazing to watch the water in the creeks and rivers simply shoot up and take over in a matter of hours.

Many of the areas flooded had simply been built in low lying areas. The entire region is clay packed soil a perfect medium to retain water and then once saturated it keeps water on top really well. A low lying area is not necessarily a flood zone and flash flooding doesn't always mean the water is coming from a river or stream or due to being in a flood zone. A neighbor had 1 foot of water up against the back of their home simply because their yard slopes into a bowl shape. They have owned the house for 30 years and have never had a problem with water in the basement till this rain.

Of course, some buildings built in or on the edge of the Chattahoochee wetlands should never have been built in the first place. Places like the Krog tunnel and many roads routinely flood with standing water due to poor drainage and neglected sewer systems not due to being in a flood zone or next to a water way. These are issues that need to be addressed by local communities. But this literally was a once in a lifetime flood (we hope) and now people must rebuild. The Red Cross or the Salvation Army are always a good place to go to see what you can do to help. If you are a local you can even specify that you want to help with a local region.

When America is hit by a disaster we get mean spirited judgemental comments from people who have no idea what they're talking about.

The one from the Netherlands kills me. European weather is so mild compared to ours...our weather is so much more dramatic, both far worse (natural disasters in every corner and in between) and far better (more sunshine - maybe that's their problem).

The sad thing is that all of these people could have purchased flood insurance cheaply and very few did. They could have transfered the risk and shared in it but they chose not to. Now they will expect all of us to give them a hand up and they will want to stay right where they are at without flood insurance again. Buy flood insurance before this uninsured peril happens to you. Even with a hand up, you may never fully recover.

By the way Flogging Murphy has a point despite the way he/she came across at first. Every region, depending on the types of disasters it ROUTINELY faces, needs to build structures to manage and minimize the impact of those disasters. The 2x4, 2 story, toothpick houses that seem to be the only way to build houses in the US is wrong for so many regions but it's currently the cheapest way to throw up a house in the short time that mass market developers want. There's a lot wrong in this system but much of it can be fixed by innovators, early adopters and people willing to do something unconventional. People need to research the threats to their home sites even in a suburb!

As a photographer I want to give kudos to all these people mentioned above working. Fantastic images showing the heartbreak and sometimes ironic compositions.

Fantastic! About time we got some great quality images in the news. I just hate that it took all these peoples lives and property to do it.

My heart and prayers goes out to every family that was affected by this flood. We just never know what we are facing and are up against in these days and time. GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU.

To all the people who have negative comments,
please keep it to yourselves. I live in Lilburn, GA and I was affected by this flood and didn't have flood insurance. This wasn't anything anybody could predict. Up until the month before we had been in a "drought" for the last two years! Thankfully, only my basement was flooded a few feet, but people at the end of the neighborhood have houses that were completely submerged. We live on a small creek, but the highest it ever got was maybe a foot or so. The night that it rained, that small trickle of a creek rose over 13 feet high. No one had time to respond to the water- by news reports we got 6 inches of rain in 15 minutes time the day after the first flood. The nearest real creek was over 2 miles away! There was just so much rain in so little time that the ground was too saturated, and we live on a hill and still got rain in the basement!

pic #1 says Ford sucks , don't trust american crap, you'd be much happier with a japanese

This is heart breaking and sad. I hope they get better help then the victims of Katerina did.

Someone forwarded me the link to this page and I find the pictures incredible and the good wishes, prayers and thoughts to us Atlantans wonderful.

For those admonishing us for not having flood insurance, I've got to laugh. For the past few years we've been spending that money on making our homes more energy and water efficient because we were constantly worried about whether we'll have enough water to flush the toilet, forget worrying that it will destroy our homes.

Imagine if the puddle in your backyard swelled enough to swallow your house while you were at work. That's pretty much how it happened. People went to work during a torrential downpour and then couldn't get home for days. Major interstates were closed for two days...and if you know anything about Atlanta traffic, you know how closing down a single lane affects traffic for hours, much less closing all of them down in both directions. It took people 6-8 hours to go the 20 miles from their work to their home, if they could get there at all.

According to an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution the US Geological Survey is calling it the "once in 500 year flood"...meaning that "the odds of such a thing happening are less “than 0.2 percent in any given year.”

To all the well wishers, thank you ....to the others...you'd better run out and buy earthquake, tornado, flood, life, death, birth, feast, famine, plague and pestilence insurance...just in case...

You got to be kidding me. Some of you people really sound stupid. For those of you that spent your time sending us prayers, I thank you. For those of you that has the nerve to judge our situation , shame on you. I did not vote for this administration and furthermore I had no financial help cleaning up my own mess from the flood but I would rather see (socialist) money go toward helping flood victims than people whom made poor financial decisions and now are getting bailed out of bad cars loans, mortgages and credit card debt. May you never be in a situation like this.

wow that has to suck

my heart goes out to al the ppl that had to face this tragedy..but jus a word of advice..to all the people who sat in the comforts of their home n just blamed God for not being there in the first place..God is exactly wer you people asked him to be...outside your homes n your hearts..

May Allah/God help the ppl of these states and guide them out of this hardship.

In Islam, we believe that there is no such thing as pure evil. There is good in everything, even in shaytaan/satan/the devil for example (because God uses him to test mankind after he disobeyed God and did not prostrate down to Adam).

Also, this is the reason Muslims believe/know that there is going to be a Day of Judgment. God will give compensate the believers who go through hardship and are patient in this world, on that day.

"And We set a just balance for the Day of Resurrection so that no soul is wronged in aught. Though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, We bring it. And We suffice for reckoners" (God, Qur'an 21:47).

im sorry to heard about that bt same in my place too in manila i was crying coz its happen..but no more impossible with god almighty we need to pray coz his the one to help us..

God, will never take something away without positioning you to receive something new.

Why do you blame God when things go wrong?, and when something good happens we give credit to everyone and everything but God.
What happened is terrible, especially the lost lives - everything else can be replaced, it is just a thing. To the people that lost loved ones, know that you are in my prayers - and remember, we are to please God in all things. I have not been able to do that most of my life, and I may be there again, but I strive to stay as closely connected to God as possible - He can give peace and comfort ! Love to all of you

God bless the victims!

I pray everyday for all of you. God is with you. Love and prayer is all around you. Just keep your faith!

Waw how terrible ?

I cannot imagine why anyone would live in a place that floods like that and you could lose everything.

One thing a lot of you missed, in July 2005 the same area of Austell flooded and no assistance was given because only about 100 homes flooded, roads flooded and some homes were never rebuilt. FEMA was not called in because the Governor did not think the $ amount was significant. I personally lost my home and had to tear it down, I rebuilt but higher, according to code. On September 21st my rebuilt home was flooded to the roof and I lost it all this time. I am just one of many who have gone through this twice. Most of us will walk away and not return.

The floods in Austell, GA not only left a lot of people homeless without as much as a towel to their name have also lost their jobs because of being unable to get to work or have clothes to wear to work, has no one thought about this. The company where I have worked for 8 years with an excellent work record and attendance asked for my resignation because I was unable to get to work. I am not the only person that this has happened to and will not be the last. This is just another blow to people on their last leg. We need to work on this as well.

#87
I understand how it would make sense to come to your conclusions about God but are you able to acknowledge the possibility that the gift God gives us is the "run of the is world we live on"? This would be no gift at all and have no value if he actually puppeted over us and solved ALL problems everytime they occurred. It is a double edged sword but the alternative would be that we were actually powerless to interact in this world and it would be a meaningless existence. Your view does exist as a 3rd alternative but I chose the first view I have stated for a variety of other reasons. I believe God weeps along with us at these tragedies. I hope at some point you may find something beyond the random biological explanation of existence.
Peace to you.

"The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference."
-- Richard Dawkins

Which means, while we can't count on a savior in the sky, we can count on each other. As many of these picture show, humanity can endure, recover and thrive so long as it works together with compassion, reason and optimism.

My heart goes out to all those who got affected by the disaster.
May God give them the strength and peace to go through this.

QUE DIEU NOUS SAUVE DE TOUS CES FLEAUX. NOUS SOMMESBIEN IMPUISSANT DEVANT TOUT CECI.QUE DIEU NOUS PROTEGE