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Hurrican Harvey, August 2017
Houston is a powerful city, filled with oil and gas companies, international medical hospitals, and people with hearts as big as Texas itself.
It took a hurricane the size of Harvey to bring it to a complete standstill. A trail of destruction and death across a 2,200-square-mile radius continues to draw attention from local, state, and federal government officials and thousands of volunteers.
That’s not taking into consideration Port Aransas and Rockport, which took a direct hit from Harvey’s Category 4 winds on Friday night. Let me not forget Corpus Christi, too, and what damage it and all of the environmental areas surrounding the coastal region suffered as well.
In Houston alone, the city has taken on nearly 15 trillion gallons of water as of Monday, and the storm’s wrath has not let up at all. In fact, Harvey–now relegated to tropical storm status–was headed back out to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It was forecast by the National Hurricane Center to move back up along the Texas Gulf Coast, and then make a second landfall near Houston on Wednesday.
People in the area and those far away have been staying in touch with family members and friends through social media.
As for weather forecasting beyond the NHC, locals have found independent journalist Eric Berger’s “Space City Weather” site to be trustworthy. Berger’s work was highlighted by The Poynter Institute in a story around Harvey.
By the way, the Houston Ship Channel is one of the world’s busiest thoroughfares for cargo and trade. You can forget about anything being business as usual there, or in any major business, for a number of days if not weeks.
From an economic standpoint, there are no clear numbers on damage and destruction because it’s still happening. People have lost their homes, businesses, animals and – in some cases – lives. The costs probably run into millions of dollars.
Harvey is not the first hurricane or tropical storm rodeo for this town. When I lived in Houston back in 2001, I can vouch for being caught in the middle of driving through Tropical Storm Allison in June. It was not the smartest move I’ve ever made on a Friday night. Looking down from a crossover above U.S. Highway 59 (also known as the Southwest Freeway) at 5:30 a.m.
Saturday, I saw jack-knifed 18-wheelers in feet of water.
Photos showed mass destruction from Allison’s waters.
Harvey’s wrath makes Allison look like a picnic.
That’s not being flippant. Just look at the photos.
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President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the coastal region on Tuesday, August 29, 2017, according to the White House. He, along with First Lady Melania Trump, will tour the damaged areas and meet with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other officials.
Abbott, speaking at a press conference in Corpus Christi on Monday, said the top two priorities were protecting and preserving life and rescuing everyone as fast as possible. Abbott on Monday activated the entire Texas National Guard to get involved in search-and-rescue missions in damaged areas.
One of Houston’s amazing strengths, which surprises many outside of Texas, is seeing people coming together to help one another. Maybe a week earlier, there might have been tensions over issues which seem trivial at this moment. Cities as far away as Austin and San Antonio were opening up shelters for anyone able to travel out of town. Houston businessman Jim McIngvale opened both of his large Gallery Furniture storerooms for evacuees to stay.
The Houston Astros were due to start a series with the Texas Rangers on Monday night at Minute Maid Park. The team flew back from a West Coast road trip and landed in Dallas because both of Houston’s major airports, Bush Intercontinental and Hobby Airport, were shut down. No word on when either place will open up, and that has caused massive travel problems across the United States. Major League Baseball announced late Monday that the Astros-Rangers series has been relocated to Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Astros will be considered the home team, and there’s an outside chance the Astros’ weekend series against the New York Mets would also be played there, too.
Yet there will be questions around Houston’s preparedness for such a storm as Harvey. The Texas Tribune put together an investigative package called “Hell And High Water” which takes a serious look at the ramifications facing Houston in a Harvey-like situation.
Critics were balking at Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner for not calling on a mandatory evacuation from the city. Just a few years ago, when another hurricane was barreling down on the Greater Houston area, 6 million people stormed onto multiple roadways. It was not a pretty picture, people were backed up for miles and miles, and nobody was getting anywhere fast.
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It’s hard to fathom how any area like Houston could rebound from such a horrendous blow. Families watch their homes and memories go underwater and can do little but escape with their belongings.
A definite side effect to Harvey will be the emotional and mental strain left to deal with in the weeks and months ahead. It’s not just the infrastructure part of everything which will need attention. Human beings have had their entire lives thrown upside down.
Houston is an international destination. People come there for business or medical purposes, as mentioned earlier. It’s a city rich in history, art, music, and spirit. Houstonians are some of the hardiest individuals you’ll ever meet. Yes, there are definitely differences of opinion between many of them. In times like these, though, all of it simply goes away.
Louisiana did not forget the kindness Houston showed its people when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Volunteers from that state, along with Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arizona, and others, streamed in with truck after truck filled with supplies or headed out to reconnect electricity.
Volunteer organizations from The American Red Cross to Samaritan’s Purse and beyond were pouring into Houston with care packages. People were bringing motor boats, airboats, and kayaks from all across the state in order to help rescue people still stranded.
Will Houston recover from Harvey? Yes. They are hardy people, tougher than you’d ever know from the outside. It is a city filled with resilient people; some who are well-known while others remain in the background. As someone born in Houston and who lived in and around the Space City for half of my life, I can tell you it’ll come back better than ever.
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This is a personal ode to my hometown:
Houston.
It’s been a city of heaven and hell in my life.
Had my surgeries there for my facial difference.
Been drunk and sober there, from Sam’s Boat to Woodrow’s (the original) and a couple of watering holes which shall remain nameless.
Grew up driving around Southwest Freeway, Loop 610, I-45, I-10, Hardy Toll Road, the back roads, the front roads, all over, and back and forth from Beaumont to Houston and back on I-10.
Saw a big, giant hole right along the Southwest Freeway in the mid-1970s which eventually became The Summit, Compaq Center and, now, Lakewood Church.
Seen too many hospitals and treatment centers for family members to last a lifetime.
Driven across the Old and Lost River Bridge and the Trinity River bridge on I-10.
Houston.
A city of great people.
A city filled with people of all ages, races, sexes, classifications, you name it. Poor, rich, and homeless.
A city of excess and access.
A city of incredible heart and soul.
A city where people travel to get that fucking cancer out of their damned bodies and souls at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
A city where mothers and fathers bring their children to Texas Children’s Hospital so they can live healthy, happy lives. So they never, ever have to be afraid or in pain at all.
A city where people work hard.
It also has its problems and warts.
What you see on TV right now, people helping others out in need and not worrying about other issues, is what Houston represents at its best.
No, this isn’t some rah-rah post about the Space City.
The whole area is bigger than downtown Houston or out to the Astrodomain area (hey, I’m old-school and I know it’s, like, NRG Stadium or whatever).
Well, maybe it is a rah-rah post after all.
Much love to the city that’ll take Harvey’s biggest punches, then find a way to pull it all together one more time.
One.
More.
Time.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Powerful, heartfelt, an inspirational call to helping others and being of service. Thanks, Joe.