Monday, September 15, 2008

After IKE in Houston

I have finally been able to make my way up to my office where there is internet access. My family and I are fine, but the area is stunned by this hurricane. The news reports are not really telling people how bad it is, especially on Bolivar peninsula and Galveston. The Bolivar peninsula communities have been wiped out. Literally there is one house left standing among miles of flooded rumble. Reports that are seeping out of Galveston are bad. 20,000 people did not evacuate but stayed in their homes, and so far only 2000 survivors have been recovered. Search and rescue is still going on, but the island has no power or water. Most areas remain flooded and people are stranded in the upper stories of their homes (if they weren't swept away). The island's mayor has told people not to come back because it is inhospitable at this time. 3000 people are still waiting to be evacuated to the mainland. As for FEMA, PODS only began to be set up last night in Houston, so people who are without homes, water, food, or gas are struggling. The mess up appears to be on FEMA's side, since our local officials had everything in place before IKE hit, but FEMA didn't deliver. I don't know what the end of this story will be, but what has happened is very sad and many of us are mourning.

Here are some photos from the Houston Chronicle that have just been released.

9 comments:

David said...

Glad you are back on the net. Blessings.

Mark Goodacre said...

Good to hear that you are OK, April, but it is so sad to hear of such devastation; I could hardly believe the pictures on CNN earlier.

Brandon said...

Good to know you're safe!

Patrick G. McCullough said...

I was thinking of you when hearing the news. I am glad to hear you are okay. I am amazed to see on Rice's website that it will be up and running as of tomorrow! I can't imagine what it must be like to be among the Rice community starting back up. Though, I could see how it might be helpful to many to get "back to business."

James F. McGrath said...

Glad to hear you are OK! When we saw what the remnants of Ike were like as far north as Indiana, we couldn't imagine what it must have been like immediately after reaching land...

T. Michael W. Halcomb said...

May you and yours experience the loving presence of God in these heartbreaking and terrifying times.

Doug said...

Good to hear you and your family are okay. I don't think we'd gained such a picture of the devastation from the UK news. It must be grim to be in the middle of it.

Judy Redman said...

So good to hear you are OK and to see you back on the net.

José Solano said...

Glad to hear you are well. Our prayers are certainly with all the victims of this disaster and for a speedy reconstruction that will bring back a wholesome environment to this devastated region.