Ivan swamps Caymans, heads for Cuba

[JoFerret]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&e=2&u=/nm/weather_ivan_dc

Cayman Islanders clambered onto rooftops and kitchen tables to escape surging floodwaters as Hurricane Ivan battered the British territory with roaring winds and huge seas on Sunday and took aim at Cuba and the United States.

A monster storm packing 150-mph winds, Ivan tore off roofs, produced waves the size of two-story buildings and submerged an airport runway as it roared past Grand Cayman -- the largest of the three islands that make up the wealthy offshore finance center of 45,000 people.

Panicked residents climbed on kitchen counters to escape a waist-high storm surge that swept at least half a mile inland. Some said the winds sounded like a locomotive. Ham radio operators reported that people were standing on rooftops to escape the water, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (news - web sites) said.

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[paranoid floyd]

1. I'm worried

My wife and are are separated but still keep in touch. She was up visiting and headed back to the Cayman Islands on Monday. She called last night and she was quite scared. Her and her sister and friends were in a shelter and that's the last I've heard from her. I know power is out and communication is down, but it is still worrying me very much. I guess I'll just do what I've been doing all day, sit and wait.

Thanks for letting me speak.

[iowa_democrat]

2. my caymen memories

I cannot imaging Georgetown with a waist high sotrm surge. I was there in June one time, when they had about 10 inches of rain. and there was knee high water everywhere. Grand Cayman is very flat, with no surface drainage whatsoever. It takes forever to run off. Beautiful place, friendly people, soggy memories. I wish all residents and visitors the very best.