If you suffered damages from the May 16 storm:
- Document in writing and with pictures the damages to your home and personal property
- Report damages to ISTAT here
- Call your insurance company to open a claim
- Apply for FEMA
- Call 211 for other resources and 311 for transportation assistance to a cooling center
- Apply with Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) for Disaster Property Tax Exemption by Sept 3 if your home is at least 15% damaged.
If you still need help clearing debris from your property, call Harris County Crisis Cleanup Hotline at (832) 509-2977.
June 1st is the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, but history has taught Houstonians that a storm with devastating impacts can strike at any moment. This was the reality for many Texans and residents across the southeast United States on May 16, 2024 with the swift-moving derecho that quickly paralyzed much of the Greater Houston area.
The weather event known as a Derecho is a widespread, long-lived windstorm associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. The term “derecho” in Spanish means “straight,” which alludes to the straight-lined winds that move the storm in one direction.
Houston and neighboring towns and exurbs to the north were still recovering from the April 2024 rainstorms which brought severe fluvial flooding produced by the overflowing of the San Jacinto and Trinity Rivers when the Derecho storm crossed over the area last week. The storm event did not last more than an hour, as it rushed through Houston with 50-100 MPH winds, yet it left a clear trail of damage in its wake. Communities to the south of Downtown Houston and Loop 610 had minimal effects, but those to the north of the Westpark Tollway, neighborhoods along the stretch of I-10, and north of the downtown area experienced the blunt force of the storm.
The day of the derecho, I was at a community center off Silber Rd & I-10 about to travel back to the city’s center at 6:30pm when I walked out the door and saw gusts of wind and water whipping in all directions with great force. It was clear that no one was leaving safely anytime soon. The wind howled, the lights went out, and everyone at the community center waited for the storm to pass. Thirty minutes later, it finally felt safe to leave, and as I walked out, I began to take in the devastation.
Trees had fallen everywhere. Branches were all over the park and the street. Mature trees were lifted from their root systems and toppled over horizontally, similar to a king surrendered in the game of Chess. At that time, I couldn’t fathom what type of pressure it takes to turn a full-grown tree sideways. The sheer strength and the persistent pressure of a storm like this can bend most any object at its will.
Once the weather cleared up, the community’s disaster response activated immediately. Texas Housers has deep roots with disaster-prone communities in Houston, and wellness checks began that evening throughout the community networks. Organizations like West Street Recovery and Coalition for Equity, Environment, and Resilience (CEER) sprung into action, and community groups such as the Northeast Action Collective (NAC) assembled and got right to work. While no one moved from their general areas, communication and neighborhood assessments began and continued into the night. We collectively learned this was not like our typical disaster response to hurricanes or floods. The majority of the damages were caused by high winds, flying debris, and fallen trees. Over 900,000 power outages were reported in Texas due to downed power lines and major infrastructure damages caused by the derecho.
The next morning, recovery efforts continued. West Street Recovery, NAC, CEER, and Texas Housers jumped on a virtual call to assess the situation and began agreeing on assignments. Homes with severe damages and immediate needs were prioritized, and households that were stable but in need of resources were added to the log. Volunteers were activated and paired with people with chainsaws. They worked in teams to cut the once-towering trees into manageable logs and branches and pile them on the side of the road for collection. Roofs were tarped in anticipation of more rain over the weekend. West Street Recovery offered high-powered batteries on loan to households without power, and over 150 batteries were distributed in a single afternoon.
Thankfully, we were not alone in the disaster response efforts. Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation and many union members joined to coordinate skilled labor and volunteers throughout the affected areas, specifically to address the immediate concern of trees on roofs and cars. The Relief Gang also activated their network of volunteers and resources. Many other groups and neighborhoods began hyper-local work. Throughout the weekend, neighbors were helping neighbors. And in this moment of widespread desperation, I found a sense of hope. This is what community recovery looks like.
The response to the storm also extended beyond removing debris and providing power supplies. Connective began collecting data about storm damages to more accurately assist community responders in identifying where needs were. Houston Food Bank began offering food and water. The City of Houston and Harris County opened cooling and charging stations where resources like food and water were being distributed. The Harris County Long-term Recovery group made sure that appropriate information and resources were being shared widely with all of those in need. West Street Recovery and NAC also continued to respond to their community’s needs with food, water, and financial assistance to support the additional strain of recovery for those on a fixed income.
As the weeks go on and many in Houston return to “business as usual,” certain communities continue to be without power. The most vulnerable are still at the mercy of the government’s response. The community work reflected in these days following the storm should be the model for disaster recovery activation and response.
Meteorologists at organizations such as The Weather Channel predict an active hurricane season. On May 23rd, the NOAA will share their outlook for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. We can’t help but ask, is this May weather event a predictor of what is yet to come? Only time will tell. But we can say with certainty that the community will be ready.
