Meterologists describe the storm as a freak weather pattern caused by an unexpected convergiance of cold and warm air streams in the upper atmosphere. For one half-hour more rain fell on the Sandy Shore area than normally falls in the two months of spring. The brief storm dumped more than ten inches in a very localized area of the town. One resident described the downpore as a firehose of water bursting from the sky.
When asked why the storm had not been predicted, the weather forcasters had no explanation. "Every weather model showed a calm evening. Clear skies, temperatures in the low seventies and no indication of rain for at least a week," said Kyle Newman, WSSN weatheman. "If I hadn't seen it, I'd have said this was an impossibility," he concluded.
Power Outages Reported Throughout The Area
A flurry of lighting strikes preceeded the downpore, causing numerous power outages in several sections of the surrounding area. "It was like the Fourth of July out there," resident Cynthia Decker observed. "There must have been a hundred flashes of lighting in the span of ten minutes. The sky was on fire."
Though no damage was reported due to the lack of electricity, several blocks were thrown into darkness with system outages lasting for several hours. Fortunately, the freak storm and disruption in the power grid did not affect hospitals, and other emergency services, and no injuries resulted from the electrical disturbances.
Mountain Restructured
The deluge loosened an estimated ninety tons of dirt, rocks, and vegetation from Elkhorn Mountain, outside the edge of town in the Migwa Forest. Forest managers determined the mountain lost between ten to fifteen feet of topsoil, along with damage to a sizable number of trees and other features of the mountain. The authorities have restricted access to the area around the popular hiking and camping section of the forest until they can complete a proper assessment of the trails throughout the region.
Mudslide Causes Damage To Single Street
The unique land formation between the mountain and the eighteen-hundred block of Canary Lane directed the sludge into the area. Mud from the mountain in the Migwa Forest surrounded multiple houses on the street. When he learned of the disaster, the mayor sent in emergency crews to evacuate those affected by the landslide. "We estimate that the cleanup of the area will take at least a week," said City Manager, Steve Mannetti, "Our efforts are two-front, clearing out access to the individual houses so that the residents can resume their normal activities and removing the mud from the street and the sidewalks so that the area becomes assessable to traffic and emergency services."
One House Is Buried
No injuries or fatalities were reported by any of the residents of the street, and the majority of homes only experienced the inconvenience of small amounts of muck around the property. However, the mud did cover one house on the block up to its roof. "Only the peak of the roof is visible from the property on 2735 Canary Lane," said Mannetti. "Crews are concentrating on clearing access to the house so that first responders can provide aid to anyone trapped in the house."
Mannetti has requested that the media withhold reporting on the owner's name until his condition is assessed. However, this reporter has spoken to a number of neighbors who tried contacting him without success. They are concerned for the safety of the property owner, and hope the only problem is a lack of power to his phone.
We will report on the condition of the owner of the house and the results of the cleanup of the area when further information becomes available.