Alfred Cyclone and My Previous Encounters

I have slept through two major catastrophes and the third one is building up.

I would  probably sleep that natural disaster, too.

 

This is just to say I can sleep well.

The first was in 1988 in UK.

I was about to return to Ceylon and the family was packed home in advance. 

I had to continue another month or so of my official duties in UK.

If I remember right house was, No.1, Sanctuary Close, Dartford.

I had done my night duty and returned home in the early hours for my usual after work nap, around 9.00AM.

At about 1.30PM I heard the rattle on our backdoor which was interrupting my sleep.

I put the table top freezer, fridge and the  tumbler against the door and went to sleep.

At about 7 to 8PM the biggest thunderstorm of the recent history in UK hit the coast ripping trees, power lines and roofs and what not.

I slept through the entire episode and casually gave a call at 1.30PM, why there is no power.

The lady in the telephone exchange said you are hell of a guy and YOU slept through the biggest cyclone. 

Open your door and see for yourself, that the front parapet wall made of bricks  is ripped off.

The next door neighbor's roof is blown off.

We did not call you since you were up all night, yesterday night.

Have you got any gas?

I said, Yes.

Then boil some water and make a cup of tea.

We got your telephone line working and would get your electricity line up soon.

I politely ask if they need any help.

She laughing said; only if you can climb electric poles and trees.

I said no way but I am available for an emergency.

Within half an hour I got my electricity.

These guys who did emergency and restorative work were the best in the world.

Next episode was in 1994 July, six years later in New Zealand. 

Similarly, I have packed our family home and sleeping on a Saturday afternoon.

I was thrown out of the bed and I guessed I had a dream and kicked a guy in my sleep and I had fallen off the bed. 

But when I looked at the Buddha Image in front of me on the roof, it was tilted and swinging lightly. 

Then when looked at the pantry, I saw most of the cupboards open and some dangling.

It dawn on me that a major earthquake has hit South Island.

Yes, it was and it was 7.2 Richter Scale and I slept through it. 

But the aftershocks lasted 6 weeks.

I was terrified every time an aftershock hit the floor.

I did not sleep well for over 6 weeks with even a slightest of tremor.

I woke up.

Soon after, I left New Zealand, never to return.

It looks like disasters seem to follow me.

Regarding, floods it was frequent in Peradeniya, those days.

Thankfully we lived on a little hill and water never reached our level.

However, the road get flooded with even a minor rain. If one is caught, one has to take off the shoes put them on the shoulder and bent the  trouser up to the knee level and wade through the raging water. 

One day, when I came down to pick my daughter after school, we were caught in a torrent more than usual. 

With clever manoering we managed to reach for the crossroad. 

I was glad I there when she really needed me. 

No schooling on heavy rain was a golden rule afterwards.

Years later much bigger girl was drowned in a canal in the city of Kandy.

When the Project Maskeliya came into operation part of water from the Maskeliya Oya was diverted to Mahaveli River upstream so our flood plane receded accordingly. 

I was very much active discussing the flood problem with Mahaveli Engineers.

All of them (hired hands) were not provided with regular places in the Estate Engineering Corporation, after Mahaveli Project was completed.

They left Ceylon.

We lost them with their talents.

I never saw them, again.

This is a summary for those reading this piece from Ceylon.

It looks like the Albert cyclone soft landed with category 1 but the torrential rain will go on for a week or more.

Hope floods would not do more damage than the winds with waves over 10 feet hitting the coast and hindering the flow of water of the rivers to the sea.

But falling trees are doing enough damage to the power lines causing interruption to electricity in many regions.

Sunshine Coast is relatively safe but Gold Coast is inundated with rain.

Brisbane that was expected to be hit worst was spared by some grace of Weather Gods.

All shops are closed and we are home bound.

I did keep up till 1AM as  usual but dropped to sleep eventually.

No dreams.

 

We had power cut little over 24 hours.

Complete rest for my NUC and cellphone doing the updates.