Hurricane Ike and Topical Storm Hanna

[Texana]

Or do others feel that there is remarkably little footage of Galveston and what has happened to it? I have yet to see a comprehensive set of pictures or a complete flyover of the island. I spent many happy childhood weeks there and am anxious to see what may be left of those memories. If anyone can direct me to a source of pictures of Galveston since the storm, or of flyover film, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

The Balinese Room destruction has been reported over and over again. I can remember being on the beach there with my father- the Balinese Room would lower a bucket on a rope to the beach. Daddy would put money in it, and a few minutes later, the bucket would descend again, with a beer, Cokes, and hamburgers in it.

There are very few photos of Galveston because no one is being allowed on the island. There's no cell phone service, no water, etc, etc. and there are a few reporters who have been there since the start of the storm, but no new people being allowed out. Most of the roads (that aren't flooded) are impassable due to debris.

For better pictures though try www.khou.com or www.chron.com

 

[Sassygerl]

The just showed new footage on Foxnews...a flyover.....slab after slab...very sad

 

[Morag]

Thanks, everyone, for pointing out these photos. I haven't yet seen the flyover, and I was wondering why there is no pool coverage for one. Guess if one has been shown on Fox, there will be others as well. I knew that no one was being let back on the Island, poor dears, so was expecting better reporting from the major news organizations.

BTW, has anyone seen that video of Geraldo being swept off his feet by a big wave? He had just assured the passing firefighters that he was perfectly all right, when, Splash! down he went. I feel a little bad for laughing at it; after all, the man is nearing senior citizen status.

 

[CaliKid]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/14ike.html?th&emc=th

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-14-ike_N.htm?csp=DailyBriefing

According to the news, most of Galveston is gone. Bolivar Peninsula and other small towns will take a very long time to recover, if ever.

And people on cruise ships who departed from Galveston have no cars to drive them home.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=55638112.blog

 

[Texana]

Thanks, everyone, for pointing out these photos. I haven't yet seen the flyover, and I was wondering why there is no pool coverage for one. Guess if one has been shown on Fox, there will be others as well. I knew that no one was being let back on the Island, poor dears, so was expecting better reporting from the major news organizations.

BTW, has anyone seen that video of Geraldo being swept off his feet by a big wave? He had just assured the passing firefighters that he was perfectly all right, when, Splash! down he went. I feel a little bad for laughing at it; after all, the man is nearing senior citizen status.

I think there are some live feeds on the KHOU website. The local channels have been showing more fly over views of all of the affected areas. Try googling Channel 13 ABC or Channel 2 Houston also.

It's perfectly fair to laugh at Geraldo. If he had been anywhere near when the storm blew in, his hot air alone could have pushed it down to a deserted part of Mexico.

The big chunk of Galveston that is missing is the West end. The inner city core is still standing although some parts are under water. (same part that survived the Great Storm of 1900.) The west end was completely unprotected by the sea wall and not elevated, as the inner city (if you can call it that) was elevated after the Great Storm.

I have been for some time wondering why anyone would choose to build on the west end, knowing that it was completely open to a devastating hurricane. It's not like this was an unpublicized secret, yet in the past few years there have been hundreds of beautiful and very expensive homes built there. A couple of months ago one of the girls in ballet with my daughter said that her family was building a beach home--I asked where--her mother said West End. I remember thinking at the time WHY!

The mayor of Galveston is trying to get the remaining people (not emergency responders, etc) off the Island now, because of health concerns--no working sewers, water, etc. It is going to be difficult just to get all that debris off the Island! They are bringing in a cruise ship for the emergency workers as soon as they can get the harbor cleared and the terminal ready.

The roads were clear for us with just downed trees everywhere on the side. The stores are open but all the perishables are missing (HEB was the only exception, they are headquartered in San Antonio and were able to do some restocking of milk and a few frozen items.) We are fortunate in this area of Fort Bend County to have a lot of power back. Houston ISD is closed for the rest of the week but outlying county school districts may be back mid week. Galveston students will have to do just what Katrina kids did--enroll in other school districts. It will be hard on them. The only good news is that the Galveston and surrounding area students will not have lost as many family members as the Katrina kids I taught.

 

[Sassygerl]

Has anyone heard from Kato???

 

[kato]

Has anyone heard from Kato???

Am here back at work. Still no power at home. BF went to El Campo (about 78 miles S.) to his sister's house because she bought 7 10lb. bags of ice for us. He also went grocery shopping. He brought me gas so I wouldn't have to wait in line anywhere from 1-3 hrs. Something gouged my new 3 week old car (filed claim so it'll work out) but that's it except for trees being down. I'm going around town bumming showers cuz I just can't take a cold shower. BF has Coleman stove in fireplace for boiling water for coffee and such. If no power by Fri. back to his sis's house to replenish ice, etc.

So, all in all it was ok for us considering how much some other people lost and probably won't be able to recover.

Glad that others on here affected are ok at least physically.

 

[mysteriew]

Good to hear from you Kato. Sorry about your power, but glad to hear that you didn't have much more damage than that. Glad to hear that you are able to get back to work.

Ike made it all the way to Ohio, but nothing was left except the winds- no rains. 4 Ohio residents died from the storm, and many Ohio residents are still without power. My power came back on yesterday thank goodness. I don't know how the pioneers did it, without power I go nuts. I ended up spending my evenings in my vehicle, using the dome light to read and listening to the radio. It is becoming a joke up here (not a funny one) that Ohio got hit by a hurricane.

 

[kato]

Good to hear from you Kato. Sorry about your power, but glad to hear that you didn't have much more damage than that. Glad to hear that you are able to get back to work.

Ike made it all the way to Ohio, but nothing was left except the winds- no rains. 4 Ohio residents died from the storm, and many Ohio residents are still without power. My power came back on yesterday thank goodness. I don't know how the pioneers did it, without power I go nuts. I ended up spending my evenings in my vehicle, using the dome light to read and listening to the radio. It is becoming a joke up here (not a funny one) that Ohio got hit by a hurricane.

I heard that more deaths happened from the storm out of TX than in TX itself. At least so far.

 

[mysteriew]

I heard that more deaths happened from the storm out of TX than in TX itself. At least so far.

I'm old, but that was the weirdest thing I have ever seen. The wind was terrible, but there wasn't a drop of rain.

I hadn't eaten yet and my house is totally electric. Besides my house was dark. So after the winds quit I decided to go looking for someplace open to get something to eat. I drove 50 miles before I found anyplace that had electric.

 

[kato]

I'm old, but that was the weirdest thing I have ever seen. The wind was terrible, but there wasn't a drop of rain.

I hadn't eaten yet and my house is totally electric. Besides my house was dark. So after the winds quit I decided to go looking for someplace open to get something to eat. I drove 50 miles before I found anyplace that had electric.

This storm affected so many people in and out of TX.

 

[Sassygerl]

Glad you weathered the storm Kato. Hope you get power back soon! I don't know how all of yall are doing it!

 

[mysteriew]

This storm affected so many people in and out of TX.

That was my one and only experience with a hurricane and wasn't nearly as bad as Texas and La. go through. Yet I still hope I never ever have to go through another one. I always knew that hurricanes were serious and scary. But this gives me a whole new appreciation for what you all go through. I don't know how all of you can go through it so calmly every year.

 

[MCDRAW]

Kato, I'm glad you are ok.

 

[kato]

Kato, I'm glad you are ok.

Thank you. I looked up our zip code today and it said extencive damage expect no power til after the 22nd. Some people north of Houston won't get it til Oct. 5th.

 

[CaliKid]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080918/ap_on_re_us/ike_the_missing

What a mess! Relatives calling in to find people who lived near Galveston, forcing search and rescue to check on them simply because a resident didn't bother to pick up a telephone. I realize the people in southern Texas are going through a lot right now, what losing their homes and living in shelters, but IMO, calling your family to let them know you're safe should be at the top of your list.

 

[Texana]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080918/ap_on_re_us/ike_the_missing

What a mess! Relatives calling in to find people who lived near Galveston, forcing search and rescue to check on them simply because a resident didn't bother to pick up a telephone. I realize the people in southern Texas are going through a lot right now, what losing their homes and living in shelters, but IMO, calling your family to let them know you're safe should be at the top of your list.

Yep! Exactly! Especially when there's a good number of people not answering the phone or checking in because they're deceased...so it's a waste of energy and resources to not take that concern away from family, let alone the cruelty of leaving family members to worry and wonder.

 

[Buzz Mills]

They think some people may have been swept out to sea, possibly never to be seen again.

This is going to take a while.

I heard, or read, that people were not going to be allowed to rebuild in certain areas in Galveston, one peinisula, or at least part of it, because their lots have now become public property, which runs up to the mean tide line. The city was going to wait a year before they decide the issue, but in the meantime, the present, or former owners, can't build.

 

[MissieMt]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080918/ap_on_re_us/ike_the_missing

What a mess! Relatives calling in to find people who lived near Galveston, forcing search and rescue to check on them simply because a resident didn't bother to pick up a telephone. I realize the people in southern Texas are going through a lot right now, what losing their homes and living in shelters, but IMO, calling your family to let them know you're safe should be at the top of your list.

Don't you think that if these people had the ability to call family they would? My husband tried desperately to get through to us on the phone after Katrina. The air force forced him to shelter here-and forced us to get out of town. When he did try to call-all circuits were busy, or there was no service. Eventually his cell phone battery ran out, so we didn't here from him for over a week. So, I will hold my judgement until I know the whole situation-and probably continue to hold my judgement until I have to walk in these peoples shoes.

 

[kato]

Well, still no power in my neighborhood. Anybody else from the Houston area still out of power? They saud 80% will be restored by the end of today. I HOPE we aren't in the 20 % that won't.