Holy Cow!

Today was downright scary.  In the morning, I  jumped out of bed to the sound of rushing water.  People were screaming and sirens were going off.  I opened the door to my room and saw a horrible sight.   My parents were up and staring in amazement and fear at the courtyard below our rooms.  The river was flooding and we were lucky to be alive.  In the courtyard, the river banged up against concrete walls and smashed into windows.  Broken glass was floating on the top of giant whirlpools.  I was so relieved that the water had not yet risen above the courtyard and flooded our rooms.  I felt confused and sad.  What about Dan and Jaime?  I hoped dearly that they were OK.  Police were running back and forth and I could hear many more in the far distance.  My dad volunteered to help with the wounded.   He started talking to the driver of an ambulance outside of the hostel. 

My dad was deep in conversation with a group of doctors, while Mom and I left to see the rest of the town.  Police cars and ambulances were racing nonstop around the small town.  The water was up above the public walkways.  Mom and I trudged through waist deep water in the public park.  The first thing we noticed were the bridges.  Normally, running across the now flooded river are two bridges, one for cars and one for pedestrians.  Both of these were now a tangle of rebar and broken cement.  The combination of the broken bridges and the flood had created a massive rapid.  If anybody got swept away by the river, they would either be pinned against the broken bridge or be skewered by prodding rebar just barely sticking up in the giant, five foot waves.  Beggars ran up to us asking for money or help.  We walked back to the hostel in shock. 

Back at the hotel, Dad was treating victims of the flood.  All of them were drenched in water.  They were coughing and running around in circles, scared and upset.  The rest of the day, Mom and I sat inside scared and watching movies.  We just went outside and I think things are mellowing out.  The river may have gone down a little, but is still in an extreme flood.  By the way, happy April Fools!

Thank you for reading Rohan Geographic!