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Missouri City residents flock to stores, assess damage
By DIANE TEZENO
The cleanup has begun in battered neighborhoods across Missouri City in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.
Several residents in Quail Valley and several other area subdivisions were out picking up tree limbs, sawing trees and sweeping driveways and streets to collect storm debris in the hours after the storm blew through the area.
One woman was cleaning up debris at her parents' home, cutting and stacking up tree branches, bagging leaves and sweeping the driveway and sidewalks.
Most streets in neighborhoods throughout Missouri City were heavily covered with debris from tree limbs and broken branches. Fences throughout the area were knocked completely down or had sections missing from the winds of the hurricane. A number of homes in area subdivisions experienced varying degrees of shingle and roof damage.
The roots of a huge oak tree lifted the concrete of the driveway of one Quail Valley home causing the tree to topple onto the garage of a neighbor's home with the vehicles inside.
In a few Missouri City neighborhoods, including Winfield Lakes, Teal Run, Quail Valley and parts of Arcola, electricity had been restored, but many other neighborhoods in the area, including Sienna Plantation and homes in the Hunters Glen area, on Monday were still without electricity, according to reports from several residents of different communties.
On Monday, most stores in the area remained closed, but a few stores on Highway 6 opened their doors, including Target, Walmart, H-E-B and Randalls.
According to HCN reporter Andrea Henderson, the Target store on Highway 6 was operating on a generator and opened on Sunday to allow customers to purchase a limited supply items.
On Sunday afternoon, around 3 p.m., a long line of customers was formed in the parking lot of H-E-B as store personnel allowed a few customers in at a time to purchase a few other basic food items.
Most customers said they were in line to purchase ice.
Aissa Kallen, a resident of Sienna Plantation, said she was still without electricity, but homes in her neighborhood did pretty well despite the storm.
"I ran out of ice and water," said Kallen of her visit to the store.
"Some of the fences are broken, parts of my roof were broken off, but I am very happy to be here and leaving everything with God; my children are alright, my grandchildren are OK," said Kallen of the impact of the storm in her neighborhood.
Susan Papra of Lake Olympia said she had been in line for about 10 to 15 minutes, but fared well in the storm.
"We had some roof damage, lost our fences, lost some trees, but it could be a lot worse," said Papra.
Papra said she filled up her vehicles before the storm arrived and hasn't needed to fill up again.
"Everything else is closed on our end, but we are doing OK, just a lot of gates down, but we still don't have any lights though," said Ridgegate resident Pat Harris.
Another Missouri City resident, at the store to stock up on basic items, expressed concern with the length of time officials project lights will be restored to the area.
"They are speculating another week, so I am basically trying to get things to survive. Our ice has already melted, food is already starting to go bad, we thought we had enough but apparently not, but without electricity it can only last for so long," said the Briargate resident.
A nurse who lives in Sugar Land and works in the Texas Medical Center, also at the store for ice, said she had spent the night at the hospital to prepare for an influx of incoming patients.
Tony, a resident of Lexington Colony, said his subdivision did not experience a lot of damage from the hurricane and that most of the homes around him had their electricity turned on.
"Everybody around us has lights, except for us," said Tony.
Limited gas supplies in the area caused long lines of cars to form at several area gas stations throughout the area, including the Kroger grocery store on Highway 6.
Customers had significant waits to fill up their tanks with gas.
Several residents also reported problems with cell phone service in the days following the storm.
Several residents in Quail Valley and several other area subdivisions were out picking up tree limbs, sawing trees and sweeping driveways and streets to collect storm debris in the hours after the storm blew through the area.
One woman was cleaning up debris at her parents' home, cutting and stacking up tree branches, bagging leaves and sweeping the driveway and sidewalks.
Most streets in neighborhoods throughout Missouri City were heavily covered with debris from tree limbs and broken branches. Fences throughout the area were knocked completely down or had sections missing from the winds of the hurricane. A number of homes in area subdivisions experienced varying degrees of shingle and roof damage.
The roots of a huge oak tree lifted the concrete of the driveway of one Quail Valley home causing the tree to topple onto the garage of a neighbor's home with the vehicles inside.
In a few Missouri City neighborhoods, including Winfield Lakes, Teal Run, Quail Valley and parts of Arcola, electricity had been restored, but many other neighborhoods in the area, including Sienna Plantation and homes in the Hunters Glen area, on Monday were still without electricity, according to reports from several residents of different communties.
On Monday, most stores in the area remained closed, but a few stores on Highway 6 opened their doors, including Target, Walmart, H-E-B and Randalls.
According to HCN reporter Andrea Henderson, the Target store on Highway 6 was operating on a generator and opened on Sunday to allow customers to purchase a limited supply items.
On Sunday afternoon, around 3 p.m., a long line of customers was formed in the parking lot of H-E-B as store personnel allowed a few customers in at a time to purchase a few other basic food items.
Most customers said they were in line to purchase ice.
Aissa Kallen, a resident of Sienna Plantation, said she was still without electricity, but homes in her neighborhood did pretty well despite the storm.
"I ran out of ice and water," said Kallen of her visit to the store.
"Some of the fences are broken, parts of my roof were broken off, but I am very happy to be here and leaving everything with God; my children are alright, my grandchildren are OK," said Kallen of the impact of the storm in her neighborhood.
Susan Papra of Lake Olympia said she had been in line for about 10 to 15 minutes, but fared well in the storm.
"We had some roof damage, lost our fences, lost some trees, but it could be a lot worse," said Papra.
Papra said she filled up her vehicles before the storm arrived and hasn't needed to fill up again.
"Everything else is closed on our end, but we are doing OK, just a lot of gates down, but we still don't have any lights though," said Ridgegate resident Pat Harris.
Another Missouri City resident, at the store to stock up on basic items, expressed concern with the length of time officials project lights will be restored to the area.
"They are speculating another week, so I am basically trying to get things to survive. Our ice has already melted, food is already starting to go bad, we thought we had enough but apparently not, but without electricity it can only last for so long," said the Briargate resident.
A nurse who lives in Sugar Land and works in the Texas Medical Center, also at the store for ice, said she had spent the night at the hospital to prepare for an influx of incoming patients.
Tony, a resident of Lexington Colony, said his subdivision did not experience a lot of damage from the hurricane and that most of the homes around him had their electricity turned on.
"Everybody around us has lights, except for us," said Tony.
Limited gas supplies in the area caused long lines of cars to form at several area gas stations throughout the area, including the Kroger grocery store on Highway 6.
Customers had significant waits to fill up their tanks with gas.
Several residents also reported problems with cell phone service in the days following the storm.
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