PRESS RELEASE

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Continuing Impact from Hurricane Harvey’s Destruction: Beaumont Still Lacks Water, Thousands Homeless, Transport Devastation

Sept. 8, 2017 (EIRNS)—All aspects of life in the Hurricane Harvey disaster track show the continuing effects of the destruction from the storm, and lack of defensive infrastructure. A few examples:

Water: Beaumont, a city of 118,000, still does not have safe tap water. The main pumps are now back online, lifting water from the Neches River, and pressure is returned to the system, but treatment and testing systems are yet to be operational. Many other places have trouble, e.g., West Houston residents have been asked to cut their water use in order to handle wastewater, because the area’s sewage system is not back to capacity. Any water overuse will back raw sewage up into homes, hotels and commercial structures.

Means of Existence: FEMA has over 573,000 registrations for individual assistance, as of Sept. 6. Of those, 180,000 have been approved. Thousands of people are destitute, having lost their homes and their work, and no savings nor recourse.

Agriculture: Texas is the foremost beef cattle state in the nation. The counties suffering sustained damage from Harvey, are home to 1.2 million cattle, amounting to 25% of the state’s inventory. Thousands of these animals are feared dead. Others are displaced, without proper water and rations. Today’s Houston Chronicle reports this, noting that most ranchers don’t have livestock insurance, because of the expense.