Parts of Houston Area Rebounding as Businesses Reopen

Parts of the Houston area were rebounding Wednesday after days of flooding rain and business closures from Hurricane Harvey.

Anxious shoppers were happy to find some stores reopening.

At a Sugar Land Sam's Club, people waited in line for hours for a promised store opening after seeing a milk truck make a delivery.

"I am a single mother, and I have seven children, and I have been looking for milk and bread and water," said shopper Tasha Salcio. "I have been traveling from store to store all morning, and hopefully I'll have some luck here."

Shopper Andy Borges said he was looking for fresh milk, too.

"We have patience, so we're waiting for things we need. I need milk for my daughter, so that's why we're waiting here. This is the only place that has it so far," he said.

Pastor Johnny Garza waited at Sam's, but his wife was able to purchase the bread they needed faster at the Walmart store next door that opened earlier.

They were making sandwiches for more than 200 evacuees and volunteers waiting at their church.

"We needed 10 loaves. We've got 12 at home. We're trying to make 200 sandwiches," he said. "This is going to multiply and feed everyone."

The store opened at about 11 a.m. but allowed only a few customers in at a time.

Driving was still difficult in some places where street flooding increased Wednesday with ongoing release of floodwater from two reservoirs that restrict Buffalo Bayou in West Houston. But vehicle traffic was increasing, even on those streets.

In many parts of the Houston area, streets were dry with a full day of warm, sunny weather. However, signals were malfunctioning in many locations, producing Houston style traffic delays.

A Pep Boy's auto store on Texas Highway 6 in West Houston had big business. The manager said many customers had tire and brake problems after days of driving in high water.

Sam's customer Andy Borges said the store employees who made it to work deserve praise.

"We've been around town, driving around town," he said. "We appreciate the businesses opening."