There’s a map in Calgary that tells the story of the flood, and how it affects each person.
The evacuation zones are mapped out – and that’s the first question you ask someone when you first see them after the flood. Were you evacuated?
No.
Or yes, but we’re dry; that’s green in the evacuation zone.
Or yes, and we got some water, but just in the basement and we’re getting help cleaning it out and we’ll be fine. That’s yellow.
Then there’s red – and that’s the bad stuff. It’s defined as water deeper than the electrical outlets, so that it’s not safe to turn on the power. The reality of red zone buildings includes water as deep as twelve feet, houses pushed off their foundations, homes that had water flowing through them as they became a part of the river.
Those are the houses that may get the new colour – the black dot. Those are the buildings that are going to be torn down, too structurally damaged to repair.
It’s the red zone and the black dots that will define who is losing the most, in the randomness of the flood.
Maureen
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