© irene waters 2015
With Charli’s prompt this week she had me time travelling through the various extreme weather events that I have experienced. Many floods, storms, cyclones and fires. In the scheme of these disasters I have to admit that I have come out of them unscathed or nearly unscathed but lucky compared to many. I could not help myself — I had to write two flashes for this prompt. The first was about a wind with 200km/hr speed that cut a narrow pathway through my suburb in Sydney and continued out to sea. The damage was severe. These photos are of my house and our cleanup, the street I lived in and as I said our damage was light compared to some. Help came from everywhere and the casualties seen in hospital were higher from cleanup accidents than the actual event.
Suddenly, unexpectedly the sky darkened, emitting an eerie green glow. It sounded like an express train passing at speed when the wind came, followed by the crash and splintering of wood. The tin of the roof buckled under the weight of the fallen trees, that had twisted and snapped like twigs. It passed, as soon as it came, continuing on its path of destruction. Shattered people emerged, surveying the damage. Emergency services eventually reached the needy, clearing the roads and tarping the rooves. Unaffected friends helped.
Three days on, power unfixed, we listened on the car radio – Desert Storm.
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
© irene waters 2015
We did not have power returned for over a week. The clean up took much longer. After three days we were forgotten however as Desert Storm operations commenced. Disaster is after all relative.
Another cyclone we lived through in Vanuatu gave me a different story.
Prepared for the worst we bunkered down after giving rations, water, torches and extra blankets to our guests. They’d be safe in their bungalows, as these had stood against cyclones of greater strength than now predicted . Nevertheless, as the wind howled bending the trees double, we worried about them. At great danger to himself, in the calm of the eye, before the storm turned with its destroying ferocity, Peter visited them and checked they were alright.
They left when the airport reopened gushing their thanks.
A month later: a complaint. We hadn’t served breakfast. Please refund money in full.
In response to Charli’s prompt where she asks:
August 26, 2015 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about the need for help in an extreme weather event. Is the help local or global? Does it arrive or the plea go ignored? It doesn’t have to be fire. Think about extreme weather occurrences and consequences.
Respond by September 1, 2015 to be included in the weekly compilation. Rules are here. All writers are welcome!
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 