The small town of Refugio also took a direct hit. It’s located 40 miles inland from Rockport. The town has no water, power, or cell service and practically no building untouched.
Refugio means refuge and on Saturday the townspeople were finding it in small doses.
“About the only thing that survived, my V8,” said Harold Nubles, holding up a six-pack of V8 juice.
He lost his trailer home and BBQ business in one blow.
“This is what’s left of it,” he said pointing to a pile of rubble.
He knows he’ll rebuild. It’s just hard to see how.
“I’ll worry about that tomorrow,” Nubles said.
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Refugio Police are thinking about tomorrow too, working by lamplight to secure the town and guard against the flooding to come.
So much of Refugio is in pieces. Half the roof peeled off First Baptist Church. Great chunks torn from the Refugio Apartments, leaving 40 families homeless – but not without refuge.
Joy Ministries Community Church opened up as a makeshift shelter.
“Thank God we’re here,” said Cindy Faulkner.
She and her husband manage the damaged apartments and live there. As Harvey blew through Friday night, they felt drops from the ceiling.
“We picked up the blow-up mattress, we slid it down the hallway, and the ceiling fell in,” Faulkner said with a laugh.
Laughing to keep from crying. Finding refuge in each other.
"We're with these people every day," said Faulkner.
But candlelight only goes so far, with no power or water this small town needs help – fast.
“It shouldn’t matter whether we’re in the city or not,” said displaced resident Donald Joshlin. “We’re people. We’re human people. It doesn’t matter where you’re from. FEMA definitely needs to come here, and I mean like yesterday.”
The police chief and mayor told NBC 5 they are expecting a visit from state officials soon that they hope could bring the help so many are asking for. Fortunately they haven’t had any reports of serious injuries.
