What is a disaster?

A typical home in a disaster!!!

Over the next few days I am going to try and share a few things that make a disaster area. I am going to share some pictures to help people understand what makes a disaster area so difficult to live in and what people who live in these areas face on a daily basis.

My first real exposure to disaster and disaster relief was hurricane Katrina. I had been in challenging places and seen burned down houses, and water soaked houses and over flooded rivers that caused challenges but words cant describe what I saw there. Trees through the middle of houses, houses in the middle of streets, cars flipped upside down, and chaos as far as the eye could see.

I think one of the things that define a disaster relief area is the widespread destruction. It is not just a couple of houses on a block, or a house that gets flattened by a tree, but it is devastation that goes on for miles. Everyone for miles is effected. Everyone!!! No one is exempt. If you live in that area, you have a problem.

Here in Cedar Rapids, the problem was widespread flooding. Over 1300 city blocks were under water. Every house on every street had up to 15 feet of water in it. Every single thing a person owns is lost. Everything!!! No exceptions.

Your neighbour cant come to help you rebuild, or strip out your home, or carry debris to the curb either. Why? Because they have the very same problem. That is why people need help from those out side the disaster area.

I hope this helps to paint a bit of a picture of what a disaster is like. Stay tuned tomorrow as I expand on some other characteristics of a disaster. Maybe these pictures will help you to understand what every house looks like, and why there is such a need for assistance.