“FEMA is going to be there for years,” Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” in regards to the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
Long added, “This disaster is going to be a landmark event.”
Hurricane Harvey made landfall last Friday night, between Port Aransas and Port O’Connor, Texas. It hit as a category 4 hurricane, per CNN.
Earlier on Friday, the Daily Business News had reported that the storm was expected to do $36.9 billion in damages if it had made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane.
MH Retailer North of Houston
MHProNews heard from a retailer north of Houston that indicated they had temporarily closed their sales center during the deluge.
They expected to reopen Wednesday or Thursday to brisk business.
Flooding, Destruction
At this time a more accurate estimate for the damage is unavailable, as the storm is an ongoing event. Considering the storm made landfall as a Category 4 not 3, and the damage is extensive, as the videos below from CNN reveal.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has reminded residents to follow all local weather warnings and says that the Trump Administration has been accommodating throughout the events of the last week.
“I’ve talked to President Trump several times, as well as his Cabinet members and his officials, and especially the head of FEMA,” said Abbott. “And we’ve made multiple requests, and we’re getting absolutely everything we need.”
When asked in the CNN interview whether or not FEMA was prepared to stay in Texas for “months on end,” Long replied saying, “We’re setting up and gearing up for the next couple years.”
Damage from Hurricane Harvey goes beyond what was caused by high winds. Much of the damage has been caused by flooding, with people escaping their homes through second story windows and even through holes in the roof – as you saw in the video above.
The state has seen more rain in a few days than they normally see in a year, with The Weather Channel estimating 50 inches of rainfall before the rain finally subsides.
“I’m asking for all citizens to get involved here,” Long said. “Donate your money, figure out how you can get involved as we help Texas find a new normal going forward after this devastating disaster.”
FEMA also put up a page today that provides safety tips and emergency numbers for Texans.
Tragic Events Outline Opportunity for Manufactured Housing
There are an estimated 30,000 people in need of shelter after losing their homes to the storm, per ABC News.
Though the circumstances are tragic, it’s an opportunity for the manufactured housing industry to once more step up to the plate, and provide assistance to those in need.
Hurricane Harvey was the strongest storm to make landfall in the U.S. in a decade, per The Queensland Times. The destruction it has caused has been significant, and the flooding won’t stop until well after the rain does.
Whether the recovery for the state takes months, or years, it is a long road ahead for the cities in Texas affected by the storm.
The Austin-American Statesman reports that Gov. Abbott gave the Trump administration an “A-plus” for its response to Hurricane Harvey, saying “all across the board, from the White House to the federal administration to FEMA, they’ve been very helpful.” The president is expected to make a visit today to the flood ravaged state.
“This is a storm that the United States has not seen yet,” Long said. ## (News, analysis.)
Related: What Will Cost Be For Hurricane Harvey’s Recovery?
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