August 25, 2019 (Saturday)
Remember the night of August 25-26, 2017? Many people from Rockport had evacuated to other areas of the state, as requested by authorities. But some remained and hunkered down to experience a very powerful hurricane, Hurricane Harvey. As I recall, the storm reached category 5 status briefly before slamming ashore at Rockport as category 4. Click here to review the landfall imagery in motion.
The hurricane moved toward Luling, weakening to a tropical storm, stopped, turned around and moved back through Victoria and Port Lavaca, then out to sea where it moved toward Louisiana, on the way devastating the Houston-Beaumont area with floods, and then made landfall again, moving northward, with remnants moving northeastward.
Rockport and nearby towns were severely damaged by wind, but up the coast in Houston and Beaumont and other areas, flooding of entire neighborhoods took place. Repairs, demolition and rebuilding are still taking place, and only estimates of damage to date can be known for certain. It is estimated that Hurricane Harvey had total costs of $125 billion–second only to Hurricane Katrina in the period of record, which had an approximate cost of $161 billion.
Nationwide, 107 people died in storm-related incidents: 103 in Texas, 2 in Arkansas, 1 in Tennessee, and 1 in Kentucky. Of the deaths in Texas, 68 were from the direct effects of Harvey, the highest such number in the state since 1919.
Harvey in the Gulf, Preparing to Come Ashore
My personal observations include City Hall, which sits idle, probably beyond repair as far as I know, County Courthouse, demolished, the old First Baptist buildings downtown, all demolished now. Sales taxes down, Some businesses closed forever, some will be reopened one of these days. And so it goes. First Baptist Church has housed and fed 1200 volunteers so far this summer. There is much more to the story, but as I age I know less about everything in general. I’ve noticed an increase in the number of cars on the beach this year, and many businesses are going strong.
TILL THE STORM PASSES BY
(Mosie Lister)
Recorded by:
Bill Gaither; Vestal Goodman; Greater Vision;
Inspirations; Ron Jarman; Ben Speer.
In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face,
While the storm howls above me, and there’s no hiding place.
‘Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.
Many times Satan whispered, “There is no need to try,
For there’s no end of sorrow, there’s no hope by and by”
But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I’ll rise
Where the storms never darken the skies.
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.
When the long night has ended and the storms come no more,
Let me stand in Thy presence on the bright peaceful shore;
In that land where the tempest, never comes, Lord, may I
Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.