Tropical Storm Irene and The Catskills

We recently visited the Catskills for a weekend break and were really shocked at the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Irene.  The TV news coverage of the storm focused mainly on New York City and I had no idea how badly the rest of the state had been affected.

Many of the small towns were completely flooded with shops and houses left derelict and uninhabitable.  The rivers were full of fallen trees and subsidence had affected some of the roads.  We visited Margaretville and the high street was recovering from severe flooding.  The local supermarket was completely destroyed and is in the process of being rebuilt.  One side of the high street has been left empty and deemed unsafe as the severity of the subsidence is determined.  Many people have had to leave their homes due to flood damage, with many being condemned and completely destroyed.

Margaretville after the storm damage

The locals are in the process of rebuilding the small town and many businesses have reopened.  Everyone we spoke to was extremely positive and determined not to let the storm get the better of them. 

Many other towns were even harder hit by Irene.  In one small town 60 of the 80 homes were condemned after the storm.  We watched footage of the floods and were amazed to see the water run through towns and villages like rivers.  

As you can imagine, rebuilding after such a massive storm is time consuming and costly.  We saw posters for benefits and fund raisers, but I think a great way of showing support is to visit the Catskills and put some money back into the economy there.  It is a lovely place to visit and each town has something to offer. There are lots of outdoor activities to enjoy, including horse-riding, hiking, biking, kayaking and skiing in the winter.  There are some great little shops and restaurants too.

I'm happy to make some recommendations for those of you who are interested, just let me know!  For more information on visiting the Catskills visit http://www.visitthecatskills.com/index.php.