“I didn’t think it was real”: Houstonians fear for what will come next in Hurricane Harvey8/31/2017 Imagine this: You are inside of your home as the hurricane outside billows through your state with no mercy. You expect the hurricane and its’ aftermath to be over within a two or three days. But after the hurricane dies down, rain comes; and lots of it. Storm drains get backed up, bayous are filled to the limit, next come the streets, then your home. What do you do? This is the situation thousands of Texans are in. With streets flooded with water, there is no exit. The only choice? To stay inside of your home as water approaches your front porch with no intention of stopping. Among the havoc, Texas officials report at least 35 people have died in the flooding chaos, including a family of 6, and the death toll is expected to rise. Thousands have been displaced, their homes destroyed along with their belongings. I decided to contact a friend of mine, Eve Estes-Laflamme, to ask her about her experience in the hurricane. We spoke with one another through FaceTime. Eve lives right outside of Houston, Texas in Cypress County. I have known Eve since I was 12. I used to live in Houston and grew up there as well before moving to Ohio in 2014, so this story truly hits home for me. “I didn’t think it was real. I was joking about it with everyone. Everybody was joking before it happened,” Eve Estes-Laflamme told Tiger Town Times. Eve is stranded in her own house as water continues to rise further towards her home in Cypress, Texas. “We can’t even get into the street. We’d need a boat,” She said with a lighthearted chuckle. She has not left the house since Thursday, August 24th. Eve is currently still remaining in her home with her sister, mother, and three pets until the flooding in her neighborhood dies down. When it comes to natural disasters such as this one, any kind of help counts. Donations of food, water, money, and other important things have flooded into Texas from all around the country by people wanting to help in any way they can. Famous stars like Ellen Degeneres, Kevin Hart, and J.J Watt of Texas’ own official football team have opened their hearts to disaster relief for the victims of Harvey. The help doesn't just stop there, though; Hundreds of people have offered to volunteer at shelters and rescue missions. Volunteers who own boats have gone out on their own throughout dangerous waters to rescue civilians trapped in their homes. Over 10,000 people have been saved from the flash floods, and the number will only rise from there. Some people may think that floods are not a big deal; I mean, how hard is it to just… Swim? Although it sounds easy, flood waters can be very dangerous, and life-threatening, as the water can travel at speeds fast enough to sweep a car away. The water isn’t the only problem, either. Under the murky depths of regurgitated sewer water and rain can lie deadly things such as alligators, water moccasins, water-borne diseases, and even floating ant colonies! Officials urge people to use extreme caution when dealing with flood water, saying: “Every 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock you off your feet, and a depth of 2 feet with float your car! Never try to walk, swim, or drive through such swift water.” This information was provided by the National Weather Service on their official website. To donate money to Hurricane Harvey’s victims, text the word, “HARVEY” to 90999 to donate $10 to the relief team. You can also visit their website, redcross.org, or call them at 855-999-GIVE. You can also donate to The United Way to give money to their flood relief. Text “UWFLOOD” to 41444. The Houston Food Bank and the Food Bank of Corpus Christi are also looking for food donations. Visit houstonfoodbank.org and foodbankcc.com for more information. Every cent and every single can of food matters to the victims who have lost everything in the last week. Just by donating to any of these organizations, you can help someone in need. Spread awareness of Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath! Eve submitted these pictures of her very own street to Tiger Town Times. These pictures were taken on August 29, 2017. Author: Sarah Atkinson
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