Following the utter destruction that hurricane Helene left across the south, we're hearing moans about climate change. Maybe the climate is changing, but if so, it's doing it awfully slowly. History tells us of a similar flood near Asheville, NC in 1916.
It’s hard to believe the great Flood of 1916 that ravaged Western North Carolina took place over 100 years ago. The Flood still lives on in the hearts and minds of Asheville area citizens, and it is still known as ‘the flood to end all floods’. The Asheville Citizen, using a borrowed gasoline engine to run its presses, described the devastation caused by The Flood in its July 17, 1916, edition:“Exacting an unknown toll of death, with a property loss exceeding three million dollars, Asheville today is absolutely isolated from the outside world, is a city of darkness void of ordinary transportation facilities, and finds herself helpless in the grasp of the most terrible flood conditions ever known here.”
I say this not to minimize the human suffering in this present calamity, but to remind us that these things have happened before.
My grandfather told stories of a big flood that happened in the 1920s and my parents remember the Red River flood of 1945. Floods happen sometimes. It's sad, but we write thigs down so that we can remember them.
4 comments:
Yes, but if they’ve happened before, how can the Powers that be take advantage of the death and destruction to pass new funding bills to make money for themselves?
juvat
Not to mention the flooding caused by Camille in 1969, record flooding in Virginia after coming ashore in Biloxi and going north, then turning east.
There you go with those pesky facts again. Stop that! :-)
in all of earths history, when did the climate not change
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