Houston Chronicle...Galveston Daily News...Beaumont Enterprise
KHOU- Channel 11...KTRK- Channel 13...KPRC- Channel 2...KRIV- Fox 26
City of Houston Wind Data Information
It appears that the worst of Hurricane Ike has passed through the Houston-Galveston area, and what daylight revealed is awe-inspiring. During my time living along the Texas Gulf Coast, I'd experienced numerous storms, but nothing that left damage of the sort that Ike did. The picture to your right is from downtown Seabrook near the police station and City Hall, about a half-mile near where I'd lived. Power is still out for almost everyone in the area, which means cell phone batteries are running down through the area. I was able to talk to my ex-wife for long enough to learn that her house is generally OK, as least as far as she's been able to find out. That's the good news...on a day when there hasn't really been much in the way of good news.
Fortunately, the damage seems primarily limited to property, and much less so to lives. The last report I heard stated the Ike was responsible for four deaths, but many, many billions of dollars worth of damage.
It looks like the Houston-Galveston was dealt the worst blow, and people there are going to be cleaning up for awhile. The good news is that replacing and repairing property appears to be about as bad as this hurricane got.
It's frustrating sitting here in Portland on a beautiful sunny day watching Sean Callebs from CNN driving around Kemah and Seabrook. Of course, the good news is that I'm safe and dry and 2500 miles removed from that mess. Still, there is something surreal about seeing my former hometown under water.
If anyone in the area is able to read this and you want to email me your pictures and your story at yuppieskum@gmail.com, I'll be happy to post them. Be safe, and take care of yourselves, though. Don't be the person who survived the storm only to succumb to the aftermath.
