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Dolly’s wake resulted in 15 counties being declared disaster areas. The Red Cross’ Joe Hansen says the agency dispatched hundreds of volunteers manning more than 30 emergency response vehicles offering water and snacks.
“One of the biggest problems with Hurricane Dolly was the extensive flooding, particularly in the lower lying areas, like some parts of Brownsville, as well as Harlingen and south Texas. So, the Red Cross will be making assessments on the sheltering situation, and then seeing about supporting those shelters with the municipalities if those shelters are deemed safe.”
Texas Senator John Cornyn flew over the hurricane devastation. He said officials expressed concern over standing water creating a health hazard:
“Part of what the pre-positioning of food and water does, and most of this is obviously bottled water, is to deal with any contamination of drinking water because when you get that kind of flooding, particularly in areas where there may be everything from septic tanks to other ways of managing waste, it creates a real contamination problem.”
Insurance claims for homes and businesses could reach a billion dollars, but it could have been far worse had the storm made landfall in more populated areas.
Pat Hernandez, KUHF…Houston Public Radio News