Vermont Irene, Colorado Floods Seem Like Carbon Copies Of Each Other

It's no surprise that Vermont officials are in Colorado, helping that state figure out how to dig out of the massive flooding from the past week.

A house devastated by Colorado flooding last week.  

We here in Vermont went through the same thing during Tropical Storm Irene in August, 2011, so unfortunately we know a thing or two about recovering from a massive flood disaster.

Much has been said of the similarities between the two disasters.

Both hit in mountainous areas, and masses of water swept down hillsides, destroying long stretches of roads, washing away homes until the completely disintegrated and leaving a trail of undermined homes and businesses buried in rocks, much and other debris.

I posted two videos to illustrate the similarities. The first, from the Associated Press, takes us into hard hit Rochester, Vermont after Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. The second is a tour of Glen Haven, Colorado.

A house destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene
flooding in Rochester, Vermont, August, 2011

If anything Glen Haven looks even worse than Rochester, but the videos are startlingly similar.

But, if Colorado needs a glimmer of hope, look at it this way. Rochester, and the rest of Vermont is back, and Colorado will be back, too.

Here are the videos. First, Rochester, Vermont, then Glen Haven, Colorado.