Oroville needs prayers!

[georgerkahn]

My mind got boggled when I just heard ABC News broadcast indicating 130,000 people in and around Oroville, California -- home of RCBS (605 Oro Dam Boulevard East. Oroville, CA 95965)-- need evacuate their homes due to possible dam failure!
The population of the entire county I reside in is less than this amount. Regardless, IF I should ever be given such an edict -- EVACUATE! -- what would fit in my small pick-up's bed and my wife's sub-compact car's trunk?
And those with perhaps no place to go...
PLEASE join me in adding all the folks in Oroville, as well as those North, South, East, and West -- to your prayers?
BEST!
george

[OS OK]

Thanks George...this would be a welcomed gesture...seems like all I see on this forum is people with a bad attitude that have nothing but scathing words for us...thanks again George.

[dave524]

Recognize the town, even up here in Canada, several dozen green plastic boxes on the bench with that name printed on them, at my age, even a few cardboard boxes. Saying a prayer.

[mold maker]

The Army COE and many others have warned us for many years that dams, bridges, utilities and highways were failing.
Nature is beginning to claim her own. Lets hope a fix can be made before it is lost.
Prayers for all involved.

[georgerkahn]

NBC nightly news (Lester Holt) reported evacuation number up to "200,000 people"!!! Crews have all-night work planned, and helicopters loaded with boulders to drop are on regular hover above weakened area. IF the spillway fails, a THIRTY FOOT TSUNAMI may very well be the result, with it ending in a several foot deep lake throughout the area.

Thank you for thoughts -- albeit I reside ~3,000 miles away where the 13+ inches of snow was our main environmental worry d'jour -- I asked my wife, "If officials knocked on our door right now and mandated evacuation... what might you take?" We are both ambulatory. However, if you consider those ill, infirm, in hospital, nursing homes, and the like: These folks ALL need our prayers!!!
geo

[Duckiller]

Given the size of Oroville Dam I am not sure the State of California could survive a major breach. Given the volume of water stored behind the dam it would flood from Oroville all the way to the Delta. And while the drought may be over we would be without a lot of water. The good news is the flow is off the uncontrolled spillway and they are working on repairing a spillway abutment that was leaking. Big rocks and fast setting concrete can pug holes that shouldn't be there. Pray for the people inNorthern California but also pray for the entire Country, we do not need such a major disaster.

[RogerDat]

It is good to send prayers for those facing difficult times, and to consider what you might do. Here in Mich. we don't have hurricanes, I'm well out of the flood plain, tornadoes you don't evacuate for.... and yet I still try to have a few things in the storm cellar part of the basement to get by on and a bug out bag & list.

Me I would probably hunker down and wait for looters, some nearby when a tornado came through. Found out the guy with medical equipment might have had to evacuate because of no power but his neighbors didn't.

[308Jeff]

Good idea. Prayers.

[Alstep]

I just called RCBS to order a couple of parts. Answering service said they're closed & evacuated until further notice.

[Duckiller]

George local news reported that the county Sheriff in addition to overseeing the evacuation had to move 500 prisoner from his jail to the Alameda County jail last night. Had to do this and not let anyone know so they wouldn't try to break out their buddies. People ,including local residents are going to critize the Sheriff for his actions but as he said he could not live with people dieing because he did nothing. He was faced with a major, major problem and he did what he thought was necessary to save as many people as possible. Even if the dam does not breake their Sheriff acted to save lives . They have a good Sheriff.

[Hogdaddy]

May God watch over all in harms way and lead them on their journey ..
H/D

[shoot-n-lead]

Prayer sent.

[gray wolf]

Prayers said earlier today

[Treetop]

Prayers on the way up for all involved and especially for those wonderful folks employed by RCBS. I've had nothing but pleasant experiences dealing with them for over 50 years now. Treetop

[buckwheatpaul]

On the news tonight some of the residents said they had as little as 5 minutes to get out....can you imagine how horrible it would be to have to grab and run and not know if your hard work and memories will be there when you get to go back.....

Father, I am asking that you spare the families or Oroville and all the family that can be affected down stream from them. Please allow the dam to hold and protect these innocent people. Father, I am asking for Your strength and resolve to spare these people. In Your name I pray. AMEN

[lightman]

God Bless you fellows that are in harms way! Hoping its a false alarm!

[Isaac]

Prayers sent for everyone and for the Heavenly Father to grant strength, knowledge and wisdom to the workers.

[shdwlkr]

Those who over see the safety of the dam have known for 12 years things were not good.

To those who had no knowledge of this fact and now face possible loss of all they have worked so hard to get I pray that things work out for you.

[opos]

And the idiot Jerry Brown is using any of California's "available funds" to build a bullet train...California is in a state of collapse all over and he want's his legacy to be a bullet train and his "Sanctuary State"...his legacy should be a public display of all that is wrong with politicians...We got relatives all over that area and it's beautiful but like a coral snake..beauty is deceiving and can be deadly...God's speed to all

[scarry scarney]

I evacuated with my family Sunday night, along with about 180,000 other people. It was a slow (4mph) drive down the high way. But very orderly. Along the way, several cars overheated, and moved to the side. In one case, the vehicle caught fire. It was like a scene from a movie. Long lines at gas stations along the way from Oroville, Gridley, Yuba City, Marysville, etc to Sacramento. Most gas stations ran out of fuel.

To put this in prospective. Oroville Dam is the second largest earthen dam in the world. The outflow over the weekend was around 190,000 cubic feet of water per second. Roughly the flow of the Mississippi river at St. Louis. The area in jeopardy is the emergency spill way. First time it has been used in the 49 year history of the Oroville Dam. It this were to give away, a thirty foot tall wave, would wash down the valley from Oroville to Sacramento.

As we prepare for the next step (Rain is to return Thursday morning), let me remind everyone to keep your $**t together, so in time of need, you can grab and go. Your loved ones are the most important, and everything else can be replaced. Keep your cars in working order, and try to keep at least one vehicle with at least a half tank of gas.

I am fortunate, that I had to evacuate my house back in 1997, and remembered the past, and was somewhat ready this time. It is still hard to walk away from your home, not knowing it will be there when you return. My heart goes out to those that have suffered unforeseen losses, due to fires and floods.

A prayer for my fellow "travelers".....