MOTHER NATURE IN A HURRY
Posted: Sunday, September 25 at 04:57 pm CT by Bob Sullivan
Accompany Dave Sankey as he returns to his Beaumont, Tx. home for the first time since hurricane Rita blew in. (Andrew Locke / MSNBC.com)
BEAUMONT, Texas -- We left Houston wondering if there were hidden damage and victims from Hurricane Rita that were really getting the world's attention. It didn't take long to find.
As we approach Beaumont, an hour north and east of Houston, we see our first signs of destruction. Trees snapped at the roots. A 30-foot Jack-in-the-Box sign toppled over; when it did, it fell through the roof of an SUV, cutting it in half. And when we hit the city, the roads are closed. Residents can't get in, and for good reason.
Video: Bob Sullivan talks about Beaumont destruction on MSNBC-TV.
At the first city block we find, there are hundreds of towering trees thrown about. Every other house, it seems, has a trunk tilted into the roof. It feels a bit like a hike through an old growth forest, with trees scattered about, roots sticking in the air like a man who’s tripped over, decades of Mother Nature’s work on display.
Only this all happened in a single night. A hurricane is Mother Nature in a hurry.
It's here we meet Dave Sankey, looking for his house, which is about two blocks away.
He got through the police checkpoints with an emergency services card, and now he's hoping to see what's become of his home. We walk with him on the way there.
"I'm doing a remodel on it. I just spent $6,000 on new windows," he tells us. "It was almost done, almost to the point where it's livable.”
Our trip down the block has us crawling over fallen trees and power lines bent low to the ground. There isn't a soul in sight; everyone on the street evacuated, Sankey said.
We pass one home where a tree has punched a huge hole in the roof; in the front yard, there's a grotesque kind of fountain. A broken water line right under a snapped 30-foot tree shoots a steady stream into the air. Outside the sound of locusts, the water is the only thing we hear. But another house, across the street was passed over, it seems, two trees having fallen on either side, like a wishbone fitted around the structure.
"Wow. No one who's not a professional should be in here," Sankey says. "This is dangerous."
We turn a corner, and Sankey sees his house in the distance. The two trees in his front yard still stand. There's hope his remodel can continue.
Even with pictures, the damage a storm like this can do is hard to imagine until you see it in person, in 360 degrees. All around, everything is twisted -- the gutters, the signs, the power poles. Everything is in the wrong place. It assaults your senses.
"This is unbelievable," Sankey says. He's lived in Beaumont 15 years. "I have never seen anyting like this."
But, for reasons only Mother Nature knows, some homes largely escape the fury. Sankey is in that lucky group. There's a mess in his backyard, litter and chairs thrown about; power lines that run across his back yard porch are bent almost to the ground. But his brand-new windows survived, and his roof is only missing a shingle or two.
"I can't believe I still have trees," he said.
Beaumont is a good 40 miles from the Gulf Coast. Life here is not meant to be the trade-off of a beautiful beach existence with the hovering chance of a terrible sea-landing storm. But here it is, a typical small town that could be anywhere, wrecked by Rita.
Still, Sankey says he knew the chances when he bought into Beaumont 15 years ago. "I've lived on the Gulf Coast for 30 years," he says. "You always take that chance.”
He's headed back to Houston now to be with family. He'll return whenever they let him, with a chainsaw to get to work on the cleanup.
BROKEN ART, BUT BUOYANT HEART
TRACKBACKS
Must have been like entering "The Twilight Zone" or "The Outer Limits", with all of the destruction, some minimal to one house and to others, severe. I cannot imagine how this must be, but thank you Bob for your pictures and descriptions as it does help us a bit with this reality. We pray that the cleanup and rebuilding/repairs do not take long but they are done in a manner that will outlast any future storms (if at all possible) such as steel shutters that can be drawn down over the windows. Another idea is maybe every neighborhood have a storm shelter that is very well stocked with food, water, baby care items such as formulas of variety from soy to others and diapers, medical care items and of course oxygen and all...and enough to last at least three or four days while rescue gets organized. I have been talking with many of my neighbors and we all agree, why in the world do they not have storm shelters in place in every neighborhood especially in areas prone to hurricanes? Tornadoes too, why in the world would anybody want to live in a little trailer park with no way out and no storm shelter? Yes we know trailer parks are cheep and we have lived in them many times, but in areas that get these weather conditions it makes sense to have storm shelters in all of the neighborhoods, or at least near enough to where people could get to them. I know it would not do us Californians any good with earthquakes, or any other earthquake prone town, but for weather conditions maybe just having such a shelter could save lives and of course, there would not be a big traffic rush on freeways to go too far away. Again for those with cars hopefully they help their neighbors without to get to safe locations.
Anyway as I was saying about the news, we thank you for keeping us posted especially on towns not to do with New Orleans. All areas have been effected, some worse than others. Our prayers for ALL of the survivors that they stay strong as individuals and together in their families and communities. Rebuilding again, will take place it will just take time. Help each other out and bless you all. Assalamu alaykum (means: Peace be upon you) all of you, prayers with you.
The Harlow's, San Diego, California (Sent Sep 25, 2005 6:22:05 PM)
This is so sad. I mean, you just want to cry for those people who lost their lives.
Amanda, Irving, Tx (Sent Sep 25, 2005 7:02:59 PM)
hey does any one know anything about vidor texas as for the damage
got freind and family there and havent heard anything
rob (Sent Sep 25, 2005 7:15:20 PM)
Can you please report more on the Orange and Bridge City, Texas areas that were hit directly by Hurricane Rita? There is coverage on areas all around the nearby cities (including Beaumont and Port Arthur), but nothing much on these two towns. Orange is my hometown, and my father is visiting from there with me in the Chicago area. He was due to fly home on Saturday, October 1st. But I doubt he'll be able to now. We don't know what to do or who to call to find out the damage and when he can return. Thank you!
Nanette Trevino, Round Lake IL (Sent Sep 25, 2005 7:27:25 PM)
I want to get this off my chest. I don't know if this is the proper place to state it. I watched a news program where the mayor of Houston said that all highways had been arranged for conta-flow traffic. I proceeded to go to houstontransstar.com which is a website where you can see what the real-time video cameras on the highways see. I went to all the cameras available and I didn't see a single highway set up for contra-flow. The south-bound lanes were fully open. If they had opened those south-bound lanes for traffic, perhaps they wouldn't have had people running out of gas.
Larry Iffrig (Sent Sep 25, 2005 7:45:58 PM)
I just want to know if any house trailers made it thru the storm in bridge city....cannot find anyone blogging on that city....
Sherry (Sent Sep 25, 2005 7:53:25 PM)
I was born 1949 in Berlin, Germany and when I was old enough to play outside, I played among rubble of bombed-out apartment blocks. Where in some cases only single walls where standing 2 and 3 stories high and could have collapsed on me, but you get used to things like that after a while.
However, when I see the destruction that only a weather storm in todays time can accomplish, then I must ask myself, if mother earth is striking back at us, for polluting it so. Once again the very poorest of the people in that area have to carry the brunt of the storm, because they cant get away. Except in Texas they saw what Katrina did and where able to respond much better to the poor and the elderlies predicament. Sometimes I cant even look at the images and have to turn the tv off for a while, because it is so heart breaking with human and animal misery. Especially for the children, who have got separated from their parents, the anguish must be extreme. Americans please help your fellow country-men and dont put the burden only on the shoulders of government. One of your very own presidents once said - Ask not what your contry can do for but what you can do for your country - (JFK)
I and my wife will try to help with what money we can give to your cause from our side here in Canada.
Thanks for reading this -
Torsten Jackscha Ontario Canada (Sent Sep 25, 2005 7:56:09 PM)
Thanks for the great coverage Bob and Thanks for checking in on the smaller communities! Those folks really need the exposure.
My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Angela Brown, Ballwin Missouri (Sent Sep 25, 2005 7:58:36 PM)
this is a website set up by some rice alums, initially for katrina survivors but now for rita - people can post information on a map about specific areas, and others can come to look it up - good luck!
http://www.scipionus.com/rita.html
Rice alum, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Sep 25, 2005 8:08:40 PM)
Just wondering if anyone has any info on NorthWest Forest subdivision?
Susan (Sent Sep 25, 2005 8:31:27 PM)
this is very sad it is so sad
NICOLE (Sent Sep 25, 2005 9:11:56 PM)
Could you give some info on Lumberton, Tx, please? It's hard to get news from there to the Tyler area. Thanks
Ann, Quitman, TX (Sent Sep 25, 2005 10:06:04 PM)
Anything on Nederland? I lived in the Golden Triangle for about 15 years and have many, many friends in this area. Any info on Mr. Arnold's place (Arnold's Bowling and Billiards) would be nice. Praying for all down there.
Evelyn Thompson Hampton, VA (Sent Sep 25, 2005 10:35:29 PM)
If you get a chance could you please give information on towns other than Houston, Beaumont, Port A. and Orange. All of the news channels are covering those and many of us had families in hard hit towns further north like Jasper, Kirbyville, Buna, Evadale, and Newton which we haven't heard anything about. Every blog I have tried has only questions posted for those areas and no news information. Please let us know what is going on in those areas if you can. Thank You
Nic McWhorter (Sent Sep 25, 2005 10:36:19 PM)
Honey Suckle apartments in Vidor are blown to pieces, houses are badly torn up on Dogwood south are torn up in various places.
Amanda Vidor/Irving, TX (Sent Sep 25, 2005 10:36:39 PM)
Would like to know about the area around Evalon Avenue and 20th Street. What is the situation there?
Frances Alain, Montreal Quebec (Sent Sep 25, 2005 10:59:22 PM)
I would like to know the situation on Dowlen Green Apartments(Parigi Properties) on Dowlen Road just beside Rogers Park. Anybody has any info if the apartments are still standing after Rita?
Suzie (Sent Sep 25, 2005 11:40:07 PM)
I have a very good friend that I talked to on Friday he, his mother and brother were all going to ride out the storm. He told me to listen for Intercoastal City. Very little has been said about this town and I fear the worst, have they rescued anyone from that town?
Kathy Waukesha, WI (Sent Sep 25, 2005 11:48:04 PM)
Can anyone comment on the damage to the area of Avery Island or New Iberia? I have friends there.
Elaine (Sent Sep 25, 2005 11:56:08 PM)
I live across from westbrook HS on Phelan Road..anyone know about that area? My house is surrounded by trees and I'm a wreck just worrying about if I have a house to go back to or not.
david hunter, beaumont, tx (Sent Sep 25, 2005 11:56:11 PM)
go to www.southeasttexaslive.com. the enterprise has pretty thorough coverage of most of the smaller towns in the area.
Katie B., from Beaumont (Sent Sep 26, 2005 12:32:07 AM)
Yes would someone please help me with finding out about damage in Orange, tx. My sister lives there and evacuated north to Rayburn to a camp ground and wants to know whats going on. If any one could let me know so that i can let her know that would be great. She lives off of I10 on whippoorwill st...thanks alot and i wish everyone the best of luch and pray that all works out for every one.
Tami H. Lake City Mn (Sent Sep 26, 2005 12:32:07 AM)
We're in College Station... seeing reports on local news here that BISD will resume classes on Tuesday, 9-27-05. Also, seeing mixed reports of when we can go back home... Some saying several days, some saying one month, some saying 90 days. Also, what about the levee? We've heard authorities are going to release the water from that to prevent the levee from breaking, and that will cause major flooding in Bmt - mid county areas. Is this true? It is such a shame we can't get any solid information...
FGFP, Nederland, Texas (Sent Sep 26, 2005 12:38:56 AM)
I talked to my parents today, and they said that every tree in Rogers park is down. It is located on the corner of Dowlen and Gladys. If I had to estimate I would say that there were between 300-500 extremely tall pine trees in that part of the park
Eric (Sent Sep 26, 2005 12:53:18 AM)
The levee bit is TRUE. My dad is a fireman for Beaumont. Yes all the beautiful trees on the way to station 9's on Gladys are gone.
Kelly Beaumont, TX (Sent Sep 26, 2005 2:00:29 AM)
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