Ike in Bridge City

This gallery has a pictures of what Ike did this past weekend to the town where I graduated from high school. Image 33 shows the main street, Texas Avenue. (I would drop in an image, but that site doesn't seem to want to share them that way and I don't fell like pushing the issue.) The first 75 or so pictures in the gallery are in Bridge City and the rest are in Orange, the next town over.

There are a few people who live there that I am concerned for. Aunt Bert lives somewhat south of that road that is a river toward the lake and has likely lost her house, but I am pretty sure she got out of town early. The other aunts and cousins live a bit farther inland by distances varying from just barely enough to well out of the way. My wife's parents (who did not leave their home) and one sister (who did the smart thing) live in the just barely enough range of about 30 miles north of these pictures and were spared much damage though they saw plenty of high winds and rain. They are all still without electricity today (Monday) except for my aunt who lives in Dallas (300 miles to the safe side) and Mary's sister who lives in Corpus, and who is only safe by luck of the spin because Ike slipped north instead of south.

What a mess. Be safe.

Update from my Aunt Sybil:

Bridge City has been 90% destroyed. I went with Roberta Thurs to check on their trailer. As we drove down the streets, every house has a pile of wet, sodden “stuff” piled in the front yard. Everything was ruined. On the news last night they said that out of 3500 homes in Bridge City, 14 were habitable. Roberta’s trailer not only is fine, but she had electricity and water. We don’t understand it. The house on both sides of her and across the street were flooded. The yards are covered in black slimy mud from the marsh and Sabine lake. There were no fatalities as far as we know.

And some photos of the aftermath. Number 15 in this series is the Bridge City main street after the water receded.