Author Topic: RITA- REVISITED  (Read 1356 times)

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Offline williamlayton

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« on: February 19, 2006, 01:35:48 AM »
Get an atlas to follow better. I hope this gets done.
Took the usual day trip to South Louisiana Friday.
I go from Houston to Winnie, cut SE to Pt Arthur and ito Louisiana by way of LA 82 too Abbeville.
There are some signs of damage in Pt Arthur after 5 months since Rita made its way thru this part of the world. Roofs need repairing, homes damaged, commercial damage but it is small in comparison to to what I will tell.
As I crossed the big bridge over the Ship channel at Pt Arthur I was plesantly surprised to see little damage along the channel. Seems that a lot has been repaired.
We are still in texas and it is about 10 miles from here to Johnsons Bayou, the Louisiana border, it is a place not a town. As I drive along the highway there is evidence of some damage to the small industrial outfits, repaires still in progress but operations seem faily normal. The houses along the way seem relatively unaffected. Most of this construction is fairly new and seemed to have been built to tough standards. They are well above the ground on pilings. There are some new roofs and other signs of damage.
From Johnsons Bayou to Holly Beach is about 25 miles. There are no structures or businesses along this area. Low salt grass marshes and flats about 3 feet above sea level. You can tell there was high water as the marsh grass is laid over.
Holly beach WAS a small community of camps and weekend house numbering around 500 and some commercial business, mom and pop stuff, a couple of bars. There is nothing now, not a home or business, most of the pilings are washed away. It is amazing how clean the spot is.
There are two very large barges on shore about 500 yards from the shore and just outside the road ROW, these are the large tpes that are gulf stable, There is a very large Gulf bouy which was previously located in position 50 miles in the gulf, it is near the barges.
As we make our way east we are headed towards Cameron, La about 10 miles away. This area is the same as the previous, low marsh and saltwater flats until we come to the Lake Charles ship channel. This waterway borders Cameron and we have need of a ferry to cross over.
There are some industrial businesses on this side of the channel, they service the offshore industry, which is the largest employer in the area. Thes have suffered massive damage. Metal buildings have been damaged but they seem to be making repairs and are operating in some capacity.
There are 4/5 large commercial gulf shrimpers that were deposited 50/100 yards inland of the channel by Rita.
The ferry landing shows damage but is operating as we cross over too Cameron. Cameron is a moonscape. Previously 1000 people and a number of commecial boats and shrimpers, scools, a hospital, banks, fire station. The only thing left is the Parish courthouse. It was constructed of Concrete. All else is gone, the bank vault stands in the location of where the bank was. The scools are skeltons as well as the hospital. Houses are non existant, nothing is left but bones and debris. the large oaks are still standing, thogh scarred.
From here to Forked Island is 86 miles, including a 12 mile detour around a damaged bridge, there is nothing left. All the homes are damaged and unliveable if they still are standing. Supply business' for the offshore industry are gone,
These folks are coming back though. The raods survived well and they have rebuilt the electrical infastructure. Folks are clearing and cleaning up, there is evidence of rebuilding. It will take awhile.
the damages stop 8 miles from Abbeville.
There are many more stories.
pray for these folks.
Blessings
TEXAS, by GOD

Offline stimpylu32

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« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2006, 03:36:01 AM »
Would you expect anything less , there are still parts of Florda that were leveled from Andrew that have not been rebuilt yet .

How can our govermnent in DC justfy spending Billions overseas , but let our own country suffer like this . The worst part is that the American people don't seem to have a problem with it . We can send money to every little country in world , yet people in the US can not get the help that THEY have paid for with THEIR tax dollars .
Deceased June 17, 2015


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Offline magooch

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« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2006, 05:06:28 AM »
My question is, just exactly what is everyone expecting the federal government to do?  I've been through a disaster and I thought FEMA did everything they could--short of just building everyone a new home and handing out boxes of money.

It has been said that government, supposedly the federal government, should be the first responder.  Well I think people ought to be the first responder.  The reason a lot of folks down in the "Gulf" area got clobbered is because they didn't get the hell out of there when they knew damned well a dangerous storm was coming.  In the aftermath the state and local governments should do everything they can to get the infrastructure back and the federal government will undoubtedly provide the bulk of the funds.

From what I've seen, one of the probelems that individuals are having is dealing with unscrupulous insurance companies.  It seems that flood insurance adjusters don't want to pay for what to them looks like wind damage and wind damage adjusters don't want to pay for what they blame on flooding.  In this regard FEMA could do some expediting since FEMA actually is the flood insurance provider, but I don't blame them for not wanting to have to pay for wind damage by default.

I realize that the Gulf was hit by an unprecidented disaster and the damage is overwhelming.  It is going to take time to get it fixed--probably years and maybe decades.  Maybe some of it just shouldn't be fixed at all.  I think there are some places that are just not fit for human habitation.  I believe that some people expect big government to come in and make everything okay.  Well, that isn't the way it happened here and I suspect that won't be the case in the South.

I pretty much knew that if my house was going to be put back in order, it was going to fall on my shoulders--as it should.  I rolled up my sleeves and got to it.  It wasn't easy because I had to do everything myself; everybody else had their own things to attend to.  The main help that was provided by government was to pay for junk to be hauled away and give
us some tax breaks.  Some people got low interest loans through the Small Business Administration.  I was able to do it out of my pocket.  At no time did I feel like the rest of the tax payers in this country should stand the cost of putting my house back together and pay my other expenses.
Swingem

Offline RaySendero

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« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2006, 05:30:10 AM »
Quote from: stimpylu32
Would you expect anything less , there are still parts of Florda that were leveled from Andrew that have not been rebuilt yet .

How can our govermnent in DC justfy spending Billions overseas , but let our own country suffer like this . The worst part is that the American people don't seem to have a problem with it . We can send money to every little country in world , yet people in the US can not get the help that THEY have paid for with THEIR tax dollars .


It is MY tax dollars too!  I would support most efforts to clean-up the effected areas - Cameron, et. all, NO and the MS gulf coast.

BUT would adamantly oppose MY tax going to rebuilding! - That is for the people, the insurance companies and the private sector to work out!
    Ray

Offline Savage .250

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« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2006, 05:38:29 AM »
Maybe we ( the people) need to get  together and get some lobby-ist on the pay role as our elected officals can`t seem to get the job done
  with domestic issues anyway.  Must be the easist pot to drain in the
   budget.
   Lobby:" To try to influence the voting of legislators."   They seem to get more done with money then we do with votes. Go figure.
    One other thing, don`t buy any RX drugs from Canada. Seems like they
    may or may  not  pass muster. Funny thing though the Canadians  all
    look healthy and their taking them.  What`s wrong with that picture?
     Looks like the lobby-ist for the pharmaceutical are earning their money.
    What carries more weight, one citizen- one vote or one lobby-ist one
     bag of green ?
" The best part of the hunt is not the harvest but in the experience."

Offline rockbilly

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« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2006, 06:22:11 AM »
:x What is the diffrence in coming to the aid of the people that suffered losses as a result of the hurricanes, of giving to the families that lost members on 9-11?  I read of one lady that received well over 4 million from the federal government because her husband was killed.  Many others received over a million.  I understand the pain from the loss, but why is the federal government responsible?  When one of our troops that is fighting the war against the terrorist is killed, their family is lucky to get anything.

I think if we pay the goose, then the gander is due something too.  After all, our tax dollars have gone to rebuild every other country in ther world after a natural disaster. :roll:

Offline stimpylu32

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« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2006, 04:10:18 PM »
I did not mean that the fed. government needed to rebuild everyones homes , what i'm saying is that if they can spend millions in aid to some forign country then they can spend some to at least get basic human services to this part of the country .

How can a person start to rebuild his or her home if it is under 10 ton of trash and no place to put it . There are still hundrads of house trailers sitting not being used because FEMA will not come up with the money , yet we can spend tens of thousands of dollars to air life food and blankets to people whos own government will not even help them get running water or medical help .

The US government can spend money to help other countrys build factorys to take american jobs , so why can't they help our own people to rebuild the factorys here so people can have the money to rebuild with .
Deceased June 17, 2015


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Offline williamlayton

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« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2006, 03:32:05 AM »
Well now. Most of these folks, I am assuming, did not have any flood insurance. Those that did will get some assistance.
The others, and those with insurance, are a hardy bunch. they will take what comes, deal with it and move on. That is the nature of these folks.
I stopped and talked to one man, actually I was asking directions around the only detour I encountered during the trip, he was about my age, I assume, 65 or so and a commercial fisherman on Grand Chenier. He had just brought in a new, well maybe used, mobile home to replace the one washed away. Just got it in place and he and the wife were cleaning up around the lot.
I passed along blessings and condolances for the rough times they were experiencing. He said, in a very upbeat tone that is common to the hearty folks, that things would be ok for them. This was where he lived, what he did, and what he wanted from life. It was a very encouraging and uplifting convesation, without any tone of regret, self-pity or anything negative.
He probably has asked for no help or expects any. I saw no evidence of any FEMA trailers, though I suspect some will come. The infastructure has just been restored, allowing for any to have any means of really getting back in.
The roads were OK but there were crews working to make regular traffic, including commercial traffic, OK.  
These are hardy folks, without the need of many of the things many require, frugal folks, country folks. They give but do not ask. I like these folks and would wish that I were as self sufficent as they--at the same time hoping I would never have need to be.
These folks will be OK, still I would ask for prayers for them.
Blessings
TEXAS, by GOD

Offline magooch

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« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2006, 03:52:40 AM »
To try to justify massive give away help to everyone and anyone who suffered losses in the Gulf area because 9/11 families were compensated, or because this country aids other countries after disasters is to justify a bad idea with a bad idea.  It migh be the humane thing to do, but where would it stop?  

Every year--heck, every month there are disasters where peoples lives are thrown into turmoil by comparitive mini-disasters.  To those affected by any calamity, big, or small, it is nontheless a disaster.  If the government tries to make everyone whole after every misfortune, we might as well throw in the towel right now while we have one to throw in.
Swingem

Offline magooch

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« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2006, 03:55:02 AM »
To try to justify massive give away help to everyone and anyone who suffered losses in the Gulf area because 9/11 families were compensated, or because this country aids other countries after disasters is to justify a bad idea with a bad idea.  It migh be the humane thing to do, but where would it stop?  

Every year--heck, every month there are disasters where peoples lives are thrown into turmoil by comparitive mini-disasters.  To those affected by any calamity, big, or small, it is nontheless a disaster.  If the government tries to make everyone whole after every misfortune, we might as well throw in the towel right now while we have one to throw in.
Swingem

Offline Brett

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« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2006, 04:38:07 AM »
I agree with Magooch.

If your house burned or was srtuck by a tornado would it be any less of a tragity in your families personal lives than in the lives of those whos homes were destroyed by Katrina?  If you get killed by a robber on the way home from work this evening are the families of those killed in the WTC terrorist attach any worse off than your wife and kids?    Why should some families recieve more compensation just because their tragety involved more people or a larger area? Looking at these situations on an individual by individual basis the net results are the same,  individuals have suffered a great loss but there loss is no greater than that of any other individual who has lost a home or loved one.

Why should the individual who lost their home or spouce in a 'personal desaster' have to depend on insurance money (if they could afford insurance) to get by on while those who lost homes or loved ones in a 'national' desaster get free homes and/or huge amounts of compensation?  

It wasn't long ago that desaster relief was the job of local churches and charitable organizations.  That is untill the lawers decided that Big Brother should be picking up the tab.
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Offline Brett

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« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2006, 05:00:58 AM »
stimpylu32,

To address your comments about the US Government spending billions on foreign aid while our own people go without;  

On the surface and emotionally I agree with what you are saying 100%.  Unfortunately in todays world the one thing our country needs is allies and about the only way to get them is to try to buy them.  (i.e.; If you are not with us on this issue or against this dictatorship we will cut off our aid.)
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Offline stimpylu32

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« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2006, 09:24:59 AM »
Somalia , Ethiopia , Congo , Bolivia , Peru and how many other third world countrys have we spent millions and millions of dollars to buy allies that have for the most part told us that we will take your money but do not expect us to help you .

Somalia was the prefect example of this , we sent US troops in to help feed these people only to have our troops killed by warlords who are still in control . Yet we still send food and money to them .

We send money for food and they use it to buy guns to shoot at us with , what are we thinking , can the folks in DC not grasp the concept .

Would that money have been better spent to help americans feed their familys or use it to train americans to do a new job when their job was shiped overseas . Or maybe use some of it to better control our borders to help keep those wanting to do us harm out of our country .

I do not have a perfect answer to our problems but i still feel that american tax dollars should be spent for americans first .
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Offline DakotaElkSlayer

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« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2006, 05:55:23 PM »
I am kinda' old fashioned and believe in personal responsibility...  Therefore, I think those responsible for all the Rita damage should foot the bill.  Oh I know what you are thinking, God or nature is the one responsible.  Hmmm...I don't know if I totally agree.  Historically, there were saltwater marshes and islands stretching out for miles in the areas where Rita hit.  This was a natural buffer zone that took the brunt of the storms.  Well, due to development, these areas have disappeared and hence the coast got nailed.  Those responsible should pay...

Jim
He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.

- Albert Einstein

Offline nomosendero

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« Reply #14 on: February 20, 2006, 06:27:45 PM »
DakotaElkSlayer
I also believe in personal responsibility. Your point about the coastline is a good one. I am not likely to build a new house below sea level either. I
live at the very edge of the Ozarks. To the East of my house about 1 mile
the ridge drops off to the Black River Bottoms. I could build a house by the bank & enjoy the view, but I really don't want it to get washed away like it would every 5 years or so. And if I did, should I ask the Gov. to build me a bigger house? We all have seen where whiz kids in Kalifornia
build houses on bluffs that they knew could be washed away in mud slides
& then it happens.
Before anyone thinks I am harsh, that is not the case. I believe in helping anyone anyway we can & Gov. disaster relief has it's place to help people before the insurance companies, Churches, families etc. can get everything done. And of course no one can predict the paths of Tornadoes
& sometimes Hurricanes do damage a little further inland than the "experts" predict & so on, so please don't misunderstand. But when people build at the base of a known Volcano, or in predictable flood zones,
on the Coast, on those mud bluffs & so on this angers me & raises Insurance rates for all of us.

I agree with Stimpylu32 only to the extent that American Tax money should go to Americans first, no doubt about it. But if they took less of the money from us then we the people would have more money for ourselves to begin with. After the neccessary help up front however, as someone said before, the Insurance Companies & other aid steps in & the Gov. should step out & as also stated before, they are not the first responders
no matter what local incompetants may contend.
You will not make peace with the Bluecoats, you are free to go.

Offline NYH1

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« Reply #15 on: February 20, 2006, 07:05:29 PM »
I pretty much agree with stimpylu32.  I also think nomosendero has some very good points. If New Orleans (and other towns and cities) are "under sea level" and the chances of more Hurricanes are pretty good why rebuild the city and lose it again. I know people that live there may disagree and that's fine and I understand where they'll be coming from. It has to be extremely tough to not have "YOUR CITY" any longer.....but if it's gonna happen again why do it!
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Offline williamlayton

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« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2006, 02:27:39 AM »
I can see the logic of not building on the coast, however let us look at some reasons.
In this area this is where the jobs are, the businesses, the opportunities.
Lake Charles, 30 miles to the north took a lot of damage.
These folks are mostly 4th generation folks in this area. It was like the commercial fisherman I talked too said, it is all I know, it is what I do, this is where I live, I will stay.
Folks you cannnot live out of harms way. These folks are not new to these acts of God, they have been here for 200 years. They have asked for nothing but help in cleaning up-the rest they will do.
Talked to on young man Saturday morning at a cafe in Abbeville, he was eating and prparing to go to his friends camp in Oak Island to help starting to rebuild. It is just a camp and he carried no insurance so he is going to rebuild it the same way-on the cheap.
These are not luxurious homes we are speaking of. Most folks here would think them to be pretty hardscrabble. Frame homes, some trailers. They have water and sewer and electricity, but not until the last portion of the last century.
When I first made this trip in 1965, about 8 years after a hurricane that killed about 4/500 folks, due to lack of warning in those days, LA82 was a gravel road. We crossed 5 pontoon bridges and three ferries, one of them cable drawn.
There were a lot of folks living down there then, they are still there.
Blessings
TEXAS, by GOD

Offline nomosendero

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« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2006, 02:50:08 AM »
williamlayton
You speak of some who "ask for no help but cleaning up, the reat they will
do".
Yes, I understand that. I was not talking about those who know the risk &
accept the responsibility. These people do not expect the Gov. to take care of everything.
I was in reference to those who aren't worried about any of that because
they feel the Gov. will take care of everything.
You will not make peace with the Bluecoats, you are free to go.

Offline rockbilly

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« Reply #18 on: February 22, 2006, 08:43:26 AM »
:roll: Is it is because it was New Orleans that people don't want to see federal dollars go to assist in rebuilding, or is this an across the board opinion?  I ask because I didn't see such resistance when federal dollars were expended to rebuild areas flooded in PA, to cover losses after mud slides in Kalifornia or OR.  How much went to rebuild the barrier islands on the coast of SC after the hurricane wiped them out a while back?

Another thing that is strange to me, we had American troops on the ground two days after the mud slides in the Philippines to assist in searching for survivors.  So why did it take two weeks to get them to New Orleans?

In my upbringing, I was taught that charity begins at home. :roll:

Offline Big Hext Finnigan

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« Reply #19 on: February 22, 2006, 04:47:37 PM »
If you haven't been to Africa, you have NO idea what need is..
If you haven't looked at hundreds of starving children, you have NO idea what hunger looks like..

Africa has needs that are massive and if we give a small portion of our national expenditures to help even in the smallest way, that is money far better spent than the prescription plan or almost any other government program.
But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint.  - Edmund Burke

Offline RaySendero

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« Reply #20 on: February 22, 2006, 05:02:35 PM »
William,

During your trip, Did you happen to turn south in Cameron and go down to the Jetties at the mouth of the ship channel out to the gulf?
    Ray

Offline williamlayton

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« Reply #21 on: February 23, 2006, 02:22:06 AM »
Ray
Due to lack of time my drive only included from Pt Arthur too Abbeville.
Normally I stay in the area bounded by the Atchafalaya, on the east, IH10 on the north and Morgan city, on the south.
I did not go to the Jetties, though I am sure they are a waste land also.
I wanted to go see a friend in New Iberia, but it was raining and I needed to come home.
Amazingly both Katrina and Rita had little effect on this middle ground.
The other amazing fact was the storm surge just below Abbeville and Kaplan did not occur until the next day from the winds off the back side of Rita.
Blessings
TEXAS, by GOD

Offline DirtyHarry

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« Reply #22 on: February 23, 2006, 08:03:03 PM »
Why would a home owner, living on a coastline, 12 feet BELOW sea level, NOT have flood insurance??????
The early bird get's the worm, but the second mouse get's the cheese.....

Offline williamlayton

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« Reply #23 on: February 24, 2006, 12:45:15 AM »
That is a good question. We have had it for forty years.
I would have need to agree with the companys that it was a flood.
Blessings
TEXAS, by GOD

Offline Brett

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« Reply #24 on: February 24, 2006, 12:58:49 AM »
Quote from: DirtyHarry
Why would a home owner, living on a coastline, 12 feet BELOW sea level, NOT have flood insurance??????


$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

If you could find a company that would even sell you a policy due to the local.
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Offline magooch

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« Reply #25 on: February 24, 2006, 03:09:09 AM »
In the world of liberalism, why carry any insurance at all?  The guvmint will bail ya out, won't it?   :roll:
Swingem

Offline DeviousApe

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« Reply #26 on: February 24, 2006, 11:19:04 AM »
Quote from: DirtyHarry
Why would a home owner, living on a coastline, 12 feet BELOW sea level, NOT have flood insurance??????


After the floods in the midwest in the early 90's, many insurance companies now refuse to sell flood insurance under some circumstances.

I found this out when my wife and I tried to buy some earthquake and flood insurance back around that time.
"Experience is a hard teacher... She gives the test first and the lesson afterwards"  -Spuditems

Offline williamlayton

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« Reply #27 on: February 25, 2006, 02:06:11 AM »
Insurance is iffy place to place. We have had flood insurance thru a program that I think is a insurance company/government program for many years. I am not sure of all of the qualifications or if there are exclusion zones.
We are are 14 feet of elevation and most in our community, Deer Park, have it though it is amazing that quite a few do not. It cost us about $250 a year.
In 2000 we had a little anomolie caused by a tropical front/storm. Really it is a hurricane which develops so close to land it does not have a chance to develope. It dumped 15 inches on us in about 5 hours. One such tropical storm dumped 49 inches on Alvin, just a few miles south, in 24 hours in 1978 or 79.
In 2000 when we got 15 inches, just north across the Houston ship channel--about 4 miles, as the crow flies--those folks got 25 inches in the same period. This front lingered over Houston for two or three days causing much flooding.
There were about 1000 homes in Deer Park which got flood water. We are a prrepared community, as far as flood drainage is concerned. The flooding came because there was a strong southerly wind and high tide. Our drainage all flows to the Ship channel and the tide backed the bay and ship channel up above the drainage  channels. When the tide turned out we drained in about an hour.
Blessings
TEXAS, by GOD