CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Six years ago, the Gulf Coast faced one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent memory—Hurricane Harvey. Its destructive force left a lasting impact on many communities, including Port Aransas. Today, despite the passage of time, the resilient spirit of its residents continues to shine as they work tirelessly to rebuild what was lost.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, unleashing its fury with relentless rains, powerful winds, and widespread flooding. Port Aransas, a picturesque coastal town, bore the brunt of its force, leaving homes shattered and infrastructure in ruins.
David Parson is the City Manager for Port Aransas. He said that the hurricane did massive damage to the city of Port Aransas.
“When they made that announcement at 10 o’clock in the morning, we had a packed council,” Parsons said. “The mayor was there, council members, leadership of the city, the school and the mayor just stood up and said evacuate the city. We had about eight hours to get out of town.”
Efforts to restore the community have been ongoing, yet the scars of the past remain. Many families and businesses have faced daunting challenges during the recovery process, from insurance battles to financial setbacks.
“Even today, here we are six years later and today, I would guess, five hours of my day so far has been FEMA, so we are still in recovery,” he said.
Despite these obstacles, Port Aransas stands as a testament to the strength of unity. He said the community has rallied together, offering mutual support and collaboration. With unwavering determination, residents have come together to not only rebuild their town but also to create a more resilient future.
“The city facilities, we estimated at about $110 million dollars in damages. Just the city facilities and in six years, we’re doing really good. We’ve recouped about 85-million of that,” he said.
The city also announced they will be breaking ground for their new emergency services building in October.
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