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Sunday, September 2, 2001
Refugio residents begin cleanup
Flooding threat passes, damage estimation begins
By J.R. Gonzales
Caller-Times

Assessing rain damage
An initial flood damage review by The American Red Cross on Saturday found:
Bee County
Skidmore: Three houses with major damage, 28 with minor damage
Beeville: More than 40 houses with minor damage
Duval County
Between 30 and 40 houses at risk of damage in the Realitos area
Jim Wells County
One house destroyed
29 houses with major damage
50 houses with minor damage


   REFUGIO - All along Power Street, murky river water crept into yards Saturday, forcing many residents to pile their valuables into trailers and pickups.
   Galvino Quintanilla was moving some of his family's belongings to the home of a nearby relative.
   "We hadn't slept all night," Quintanilla said.
   Earlier rains in Bee and Goliad counties caused the Mission River and its tributaries to overflow. Some roads in Refugio County still were closed Saturday evening.
   Mike Coyne, National Weather Service meteorologist, said the Mission River crested late Saturday afternoon.

How to help
Monetary contributions can be made to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund at P.O. Box 3429, Corpus Christi TX 78463-3429

   The weather service predicted a 30 percent chance of showers in Corpus Christi and Refugio today.
   Highs will be in the lower 90s inland, and upper 80s along the coast.
   By mid-afternoon Saturday, Refugio County officials had not asked the American Red Cross to set up a shelter, said Shelley Parks, a spokeswoman.
   Flooding threat passes

David Pellerin/Caller-Times

Saul Delgado helps his brother, Ismael, recover from recent flooding in Refugio by carrying furniture to a truck. The Delgados fear the floodwaters may damage Ismael’s home.

   Refugio County Judge Roger Fagan said evacuations weren't necessary.
   "I think everybody's pretty aware of it," he said.
   But Fagan said Tivoli could see some flooding in low-lying ranch lands by Monday as water in the San Antonio River made its way from Goliad.
   "I think the water hasn't gotten here yet," said Fagan, who lives in Tivoli.
   Saturday evening, Fagan said the threat of flooding in the city of Refugio had passed.
   Assessments

David Pellerin/Caller-Times

Lillie Quintanilla (left) gets some help from Connie Garcia in evacuating her Refugio home Saturday.

   More than 50 Red Cross volunteers were available in Bee, Jim Wells, and Refugio counties to offer relief.
   "We've had damage assessment teams in the community all day today (Saturday)," Parks said.
   Once damage assessment is complete in those counties, volunteers could start offering aid today on a one-by-one basis.
   "We know we're going to be there, and we're going to help," Parks said.
   Albert Rocha has seen similar floods in Refugio County. In 1990, floodwaters damaged his home in the 200 block of West Santiago Street to the point that he had to replace everything but his ceiling and kitchen cabinets.

David Pellerin/Caller-Times

Soaked cotton bales sit in a flooded field on Farm-to-Market Road 1360. There’s a 30 percent chance of precipitation today for Refugio and Corpus Christi.

   'Nobody expected this'
   But as the water seeped into his den Saturday morning, Rocha wondered if he and his wife would have to find a new place to live.
   "Nobody expected this kind of runoff," said Rocha, who moved the furniture out the house Saturday morning.
   By late morning, floodwaters surrounded Ismael Delgado's hilltop home on

David Adame/Caller-Times

Orlando Rodriguez vacuums water in his home in Alice. Nearly a foot of water flooded the Rodriguez home after Friday’s heavy rains.

Power Street. About five pickups slowly tried to back into his yard to load up with furniture.
   "You don't want to take chances," he said.
   The historic Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church at 1008 Alamo, wasn't spared either.
   The church's cafeteria and some classrooms were damaged by rising floodwaters.
   Parishioner Julie VanNess watched floodwaters rise along Power Street behind the cafeteria.
   "We're going to have to pitch in and help clean it up," she said. "I'll volunteer my services if I can."


Contact J.R. Gonzales at 886-3779 or gonzalesj@caller.com

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