
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en" class="no-js">
<head>
<title>Coastal Texas county&#39;s long recovery from Hurricane Harvey begins amid turmoil | The Texas Tribune</title>
<meta charset="utf-8"><script type="text/javascript">(window.NREUM||(NREUM={})).loader_config={xpid:"UgMGVFZADAYCUVBR"};window.NREUM||(NREUM={}),__nr_require=function(t,n,e){function r(e){if(!n[e]){var o=n[e]={exports:{}};t[e][0].call(o.exports,function(n){var o=t[e][1][n];return r(o||n)},o,o.exports)}return n[e].exports}if("function"==typeof __nr_require)return __nr_require;for(var o=0;o<e.length;o++)r(e[o]);return r}({1:[function(t,n,e){function r(t){try{s.console&&console.log(t)}catch(n){}}var o,i=t("ee"),a=t(15),s={};try{o=localStorage.getItem("__nr_flags").split(","),console&&"function"==typeof console.log&&(s.console=!0,o.indexOf("dev")!==-1&&(s.dev=!0),o.indexOf("nr_dev")!==-1&&(s.nrDev=!0))}catch(c){}s.nrDev&&i.on("internal-error",function(t){r(t.stack)}),s.dev&&i.on("fn-err",function(t,n,e){r(e.stack)}),s.dev&&(r("NR AGENT IN DEVELOPMENT MODE"),r("flags: "+a(s,function(t,n){return t}).join(", ")))},{}],2:[function(t,n,e){function r(t,n,e,r,s){try{p?p-=1:o(s||new UncaughtException(t,n,e),!0)}catch(f){try{i("ierr",[f,c.now(),!0])}catch(d){}}return"function"==typeof u&&u.apply(this,a(arguments))}function UncaughtException(t,n,e){this.message=t||"Uncaught error with no additional information",this.sourceURL=n,this.line=e}function o(t,n){var e=n?null:c.now();i("err",[t,e])}var i=t("handle"),a=t(16),s=t("ee"),c=t("loader"),f=t("gos"),u=window.onerror,d=!1,l="nr@seenError",p=0;c.features.err=!0,t(1),window.onerror=r;try{throw new Error}catch(h){"stack"in h&&(t(8),t(7),"addEventListener"in window&&t(5),c.xhrWrappable&&t(9),d=!0)}s.on("fn-start",function(t,n,e){d&&(p+=1)}),s.on("fn-err",function(t,n,e){d&&!e[l]&&(f(e,l,function(){return!0}),this.thrown=!0,o(e))}),s.on("fn-end",function(){d&&!this.thrown&&p>0&&(p-=1)}),s.on("internal-error",function(t){i("ierr",[t,c.now(),!0])})},{}],3:[function(t,n,e){t("loader").features.ins=!0},{}],4:[function(t,n,e){function r(t){}if(window.performance&&window.performance.timing&&window.performance.getEntriesByType){var o=t("ee"),i=t("handle"),a=t(8),s=t(7),c="learResourceTimings",f="addEventListener",u="resourcetimingbufferfull",d="bstResource",l="resource",p="-start",h="-end",m="fn"+p,w="fn"+h,v="bstTimer",y="pushState",g=t("loader");g.features.stn=!0,t(6);var b=NREUM.o.EV;o.on(m,function(t,n){var e=t[0];e instanceof b&&(this.bstStart=g.now())}),o.on(w,function(t,n){var e=t[0];e instanceof b&&i("bst",[e,n,this.bstStart,g.now()])}),a.on(m,function(t,n,e){this.bstStart=g.now(),this.bstType=e}),a.on(w,function(t,n){i(v,[n,this.bstStart,g.now(),this.bstType])}),s.on(m,function(){this.bstStart=g.now()}),s.on(w,function(t,n){i(v,[n,this.bstStart,g.now(),"requestAnimationFrame"])}),o.on(y+p,function(t){this.time=g.now(),this.startPath=location.pathname+location.hash}),o.on(y+h,function(t){i("bstHist",[location.pathname+location.hash,this.startPath,this.time])}),f in window.performance&&(window.performance["c"+c]?window.performance[f](u,function(t){i(d,[window.performance.getEntriesByType(l)]),window.performance["c"+c]()},!1):window.performance[f]("webkit"+u,function(t){i(d,[window.performance.getEntriesByType(l)]),window.performance["webkitC"+c]()},!1)),document[f]("scroll",r,{passive:!0}),document[f]("keypress",r,!1),document[f]("click",r,!1)}},{}],5:[function(t,n,e){function r(t){for(var n=t;n&&!n.hasOwnProperty(u);)n=Object.getPrototypeOf(n);n&&o(n)}function o(t){s.inPlace(t,[u,d],"-",i)}function i(t,n){return t[1]}var a=t("ee").get("events"),s=t(18)(a,!0),c=t("gos"),f=XMLHttpRequest,u="addEventListener",d="removeEventListener";n.exports=a,"getPrototypeOf"in Object?(r(document),r(window),r(f.prototype)):f.prototype.hasOwnProperty(u)&&(o(window),o(f.prototype)),a.on(u+"-start",function(t,n){var e=t[1],r=c(e,"nr@wrapped",function(){function t(){if("function"==typeof e.handleEvent)return e.handleEvent.apply(e,arguments)}var n={object:t,"function":e}[typeof e];return n?s(n,"fn-",null,n.name||"anonymous"):e});this.wrapped=t[1]=r}),a.on(d+"-start",function(t){t[1]=this.wrapped||t[1]})},{}],6:[function(t,n,e){var r=t("ee").get("history"),o=t(18)(r);n.exports=r,o.inPlace(window.history,["pushState","replaceState"],"-")},{}],7:[function(t,n,e){var r=t("ee").get("raf"),o=t(18)(r),i="equestAnimationFrame";n.exports=r,o.inPlace(window,["r"+i,"mozR"+i,"webkitR"+i,"msR"+i],"raf-"),r.on("raf-start",function(t){t[0]=o(t[0],"fn-")})},{}],8:[function(t,n,e){function r(t,n,e){t[0]=a(t[0],"fn-",null,e)}function o(t,n,e){this.method=e,this.timerDuration=isNaN(t[1])?0:+t[1],t[0]=a(t[0],"fn-",this,e)}var i=t("ee").get("timer"),a=t(18)(i),s="setTimeout",c="setInterval",f="clearTimeout",u="-start",d="-";n.exports=i,a.inPlace(window,[s,"setImmediate"],s+d),a.inPlace(window,[c],c+d),a.inPlace(window,[f,"clearImmediate"],f+d),i.on(c+u,r),i.on(s+u,o)},{}],9:[function(t,n,e){function r(t,n){d.inPlace(n,["onreadystatechange"],"fn-",s)}function o(){var t=this,n=u.context(t);t.readyState>3&&!n.resolved&&(n.resolved=!0,u.emit("xhr-resolved",[],t)),d.inPlace(t,y,"fn-",s)}function i(t){g.push(t),h&&(x?x.then(a):w?w(a):(E=-E,O.data=E))}function a(){for(var t=0;t<g.length;t++)r([],g[t]);g.length&&(g=[])}function s(t,n){return n}function c(t,n){for(var e in t)n[e]=t[e];return n}t(5);var f=t("ee"),u=f.get("xhr"),d=t(18)(u),l=NREUM.o,p=l.XHR,h=l.MO,m=l.PR,w=l.SI,v="readystatechange",y=["onload","onerror","onabort","onloadstart","onloadend","onprogress","ontimeout"],g=[];n.exports=u;var b=window.XMLHttpRequest=function(t){var n=new p(t);try{u.emit("new-xhr",[n],n),n.addEventListener(v,o,!1)}catch(e){try{u.emit("internal-error",[e])}catch(r){}}return n};if(c(p,b),b.prototype=p.prototype,d.inPlace(b.prototype,["open","send"],"-xhr-",s),u.on("send-xhr-start",function(t,n){r(t,n),i(n)}),u.on("open-xhr-start",r),h){var x=m&&m.resolve();if(!w&&!m){var E=1,O=document.createTextNode(E);new h(a).observe(O,{characterData:!0})}}else f.on("fn-end",function(t){t[0]&&t[0].type===v||a()})},{}],10:[function(t,n,e){function r(t){var n=this.params,e=this.metrics;if(!this.ended){this.ended=!0;for(var r=0;r<d;r++)t.removeEventListener(u[r],this.listener,!1);if(!n.aborted){if(e.duration=a.now()-this.startTime,4===t.readyState){n.status=t.status;var i=o(t,this.lastSize);if(i&&(e.rxSize=i),this.sameOrigin){var c=t.getResponseHeader("X-NewRelic-App-Data");c&&(n.cat=c.split(", ").pop())}}else n.status=0;e.cbTime=this.cbTime,f.emit("xhr-done",[t],t),s("xhr",[n,e,this.startTime])}}}function o(t,n){var e=t.responseType;if("json"===e&&null!==n)return n;var r="arraybuffer"===e||"blob"===e||"json"===e?t.response:t.responseText;return h(r)}function i(t,n){var e=c(n),r=t.params;r.host=e.hostname+":"+e.port,r.pathname=e.pathname,t.sameOrigin=e.sameOrigin}var a=t("loader");if(a.xhrWrappable){var s=t("handle"),c=t(11),f=t("ee"),u=["load","error","abort","timeout"],d=u.length,l=t("id"),p=t(14),h=t(13),m=window.XMLHttpRequest;a.features.xhr=!0,t(9),f.on("new-xhr",function(t){var n=this;n.totalCbs=0,n.called=0,n.cbTime=0,n.end=r,n.ended=!1,n.xhrGuids={},n.lastSize=null,p&&(p>34||p<10)||window.opera||t.addEventListener("progress",function(t){n.lastSize=t.loaded},!1)}),f.on("open-xhr-start",function(t){this.params={method:t[0]},i(this,t[1]),this.metrics={}}),f.on("open-xhr-end",function(t,n){"loader_config"in NREUM&&"xpid"in NREUM.loader_config&&this.sameOrigin&&n.setRequestHeader("X-NewRelic-ID",NREUM.loader_config.xpid)}),f.on("send-xhr-start",function(t,n){var e=this.metrics,r=t[0],o=this;if(e&&r){var i=h(r);i&&(e.txSize=i)}this.startTime=a.now(),this.listener=function(t){try{"abort"===t.type&&(o.params.aborted=!0),("load"!==t.type||o.called===o.totalCbs&&(o.onloadCalled||"function"!=typeof n.onload))&&o.end(n)}catch(e){try{f.emit("internal-error",[e])}catch(r){}}};for(var s=0;s<d;s++)n.addEventListener(u[s],this.listener,!1)}),f.on("xhr-cb-time",function(t,n,e){this.cbTime+=t,n?this.onloadCalled=!0:this.called+=1,this.called!==this.totalCbs||!this.onloadCalled&&"function"==typeof e.onload||this.end(e)}),f.on("xhr-load-added",function(t,n){var e=""+l(t)+!!n;this.xhrGuids&&!this.xhrGuids[e]&&(this.xhrGuids[e]=!0,this.totalCbs+=1)}),f.on("xhr-load-removed",function(t,n){var e=""+l(t)+!!n;this.xhrGuids&&this.xhrGuids[e]&&(delete this.xhrGuids[e],this.totalCbs-=1)}),f.on("addEventListener-end",function(t,n){n instanceof m&&"load"===t[0]&&f.emit("xhr-load-added",[t[1],t[2]],n)}),f.on("removeEventListener-end",function(t,n){n instanceof m&&"load"===t[0]&&f.emit("xhr-load-removed",[t[1],t[2]],n)}),f.on("fn-start",function(t,n,e){n instanceof m&&("onload"===e&&(this.onload=!0),("load"===(t[0]&&t[0].type)||this.onload)&&(this.xhrCbStart=a.now()))}),f.on("fn-end",function(t,n){this.xhrCbStart&&f.emit("xhr-cb-time",[a.now()-this.xhrCbStart,this.onload,n],n)})}},{}],11:[function(t,n,e){n.exports=function(t){var n=document.createElement("a"),e=window.location,r={};n.href=t,r.port=n.port;var o=n.href.split("://");!r.port&&o[1]&&(r.port=o[1].split("/")[0].split("@").pop().split(":")[1]),r.port&&"0"!==r.port||(r.port="https"===o[0]?"443":"80"),r.hostname=n.hostname||e.hostname,r.pathname=n.pathname,r.protocol=o[0],"/"!==r.pathname.charAt(0)&&(r.pathname="/"+r.pathname);var i=!n.protocol||":"===n.protocol||n.protocol===e.protocol,a=n.hostname===document.domain&&n.port===e.port;return r.sameOrigin=i&&(!n.hostname||a),r}},{}],12:[function(t,n,e){function r(){}function o(t,n,e){return function(){return i(t,[f.now()].concat(s(arguments)),n?null:this,e),n?void 0:this}}var i=t("handle"),a=t(15),s=t(16),c=t("ee").get("tracer"),f=t("loader"),u=NREUM;"undefined"==typeof window.newrelic&&(newrelic=u);var d=["setPageViewName","setCustomAttribute","setErrorHandler","finished","addToTrace","inlineHit","addRelease"],l="api-",p=l+"ixn-";a(d,function(t,n){u[n]=o(l+n,!0,"api")}),u.addPageAction=o(l+"addPageAction",!0),u.setCurrentRouteName=o(l+"routeName",!0),n.exports=newrelic,u.interaction=function(){return(new r).get()};var h=r.prototype={createTracer:function(t,n){var e={},r=this,o="function"==typeof n;return i(p+"tracer",[f.now(),t,e],r),function(){if(c.emit((o?"":"no-")+"fn-start",[f.now(),r,o],e),o)try{return n.apply(this,arguments)}catch(t){throw c.emit("fn-err",[arguments,this,t],e),t}finally{c.emit("fn-end",[f.now()],e)}}}};a("setName,setAttribute,save,ignore,onEnd,getContext,end,get".split(","),function(t,n){h[n]=o(p+n)}),newrelic.noticeError=function(t){"string"==typeof t&&(t=new Error(t)),i("err",[t,f.now()])}},{}],13:[function(t,n,e){n.exports=function(t){if("string"==typeof t&&t.length)return t.length;if("object"==typeof t){if("undefined"!=typeof ArrayBuffer&&t instanceof ArrayBuffer&&t.byteLength)return t.byteLength;if("undefined"!=typeof Blob&&t instanceof Blob&&t.size)return t.size;if(!("undefined"!=typeof FormData&&t instanceof FormData))try{return JSON.stringify(t).length}catch(n){return}}}},{}],14:[function(t,n,e){var r=0,o=navigator.userAgent.match(/Firefox[\/\s](\d+\.\d+)/);o&&(r=+o[1]),n.exports=r},{}],15:[function(t,n,e){function r(t,n){var e=[],r="",i=0;for(r in t)o.call(t,r)&&(e[i]=n(r,t[r]),i+=1);return e}var o=Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;n.exports=r},{}],16:[function(t,n,e){function r(t,n,e){n||(n=0),"undefined"==typeof e&&(e=t?t.length:0);for(var r=-1,o=e-n||0,i=Array(o<0?0:o);++r<o;)i[r]=t[n+r];return i}n.exports=r},{}],17:[function(t,n,e){n.exports={exists:"undefined"!=typeof window.performance&&window.performance.timing&&"undefined"!=typeof window.performance.timing.navigationStart}},{}],18:[function(t,n,e){function r(t){return!(t&&t instanceof Function&&t.apply&&!t[a])}var o=t("ee"),i=t(16),a="nr@original",s=Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty,c=!1;n.exports=function(t,n){function e(t,n,e,o){function nrWrapper(){var r,a,s,c;try{a=this,r=i(arguments),s="function"==typeof e?e(r,a):e||{}}catch(f){l([f,"",[r,a,o],s])}u(n+"start",[r,a,o],s);try{return c=t.apply(a,r)}catch(d){throw u(n+"err",[r,a,d],s),d}finally{u(n+"end",[r,a,c],s)}}return r(t)?t:(n||(n=""),nrWrapper[a]=t,d(t,nrWrapper),nrWrapper)}function f(t,n,o,i){o||(o="");var a,s,c,f="-"===o.charAt(0);for(c=0;c<n.length;c++)s=n[c],a=t[s],r(a)||(t[s]=e(a,f?s+o:o,i,s))}function u(e,r,o){if(!c||n){var i=c;c=!0;try{t.emit(e,r,o,n)}catch(a){l([a,e,r,o])}c=i}}function d(t,n){if(Object.defineProperty&&Object.keys)try{var e=Object.keys(t);return e.forEach(function(e){Object.defineProperty(n,e,{get:function(){return t[e]},set:function(n){return t[e]=n,n}})}),n}catch(r){l([r])}for(var o in t)s.call(t,o)&&(n[o]=t[o]);return n}function l(n){try{t.emit("internal-error",n)}catch(e){}}return t||(t=o),e.inPlace=f,e.flag=a,e}},{}],ee:[function(t,n,e){function r(){}function o(t){function n(t){return t&&t instanceof r?t:t?c(t,s,i):i()}function e(e,r,o,i){if(!l.aborted||i){t&&t(e,r,o);for(var a=n(o),s=h(e),c=s.length,f=0;f<c;f++)s[f].apply(a,r);var d=u[y[e]];return d&&d.push([g,e,r,a]),a}}function p(t,n){v[t]=h(t).concat(n)}function h(t){return v[t]||[]}function m(t){return d[t]=d[t]||o(e)}function w(t,n){f(t,function(t,e){n=n||"feature",y[e]=n,n in u||(u[n]=[])})}var v={},y={},g={on:p,emit:e,get:m,listeners:h,context:n,buffer:w,abort:a,aborted:!1};return g}function i(){return new r}function a(){(u.api||u.feature)&&(l.aborted=!0,u=l.backlog={})}var s="nr@context",c=t("gos"),f=t(15),u={},d={},l=n.exports=o();l.backlog=u},{}],gos:[function(t,n,e){function r(t,n,e){if(o.call(t,n))return t[n];var r=e();if(Object.defineProperty&&Object.keys)try{return Object.defineProperty(t,n,{value:r,writable:!0,enumerable:!1}),r}catch(i){}return t[n]=r,r}var o=Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;n.exports=r},{}],handle:[function(t,n,e){function r(t,n,e,r){o.buffer([t],r),o.emit(t,n,e)}var o=t("ee").get("handle");n.exports=r,r.ee=o},{}],id:[function(t,n,e){function r(t){var n=typeof t;return!t||"object"!==n&&"function"!==n?-1:t===window?0:a(t,i,function(){return o++})}var o=1,i="nr@id",a=t("gos");n.exports=r},{}],loader:[function(t,n,e){function r(){if(!x++){var t=b.info=NREUM.info,n=l.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];if(setTimeout(u.abort,3e4),!(t&&t.licenseKey&&t.applicationID&&n))return u.abort();f(y,function(n,e){t[n]||(t[n]=e)}),c("mark",["onload",a()+b.offset],null,"api");var e=l.createElement("script");e.src="https://"+t.agent,n.parentNode.insertBefore(e,n)}}function o(){"complete"===l.readyState&&i()}function i(){c("mark",["domContent",a()+b.offset],null,"api")}function a(){return E.exists&&performance.now?Math.round(performance.now()):(s=Math.max((new Date).getTime(),s))-b.offset}var s=(new Date).getTime(),c=t("handle"),f=t(15),u=t("ee"),d=window,l=d.document,p="addEventListener",h="attachEvent",m=d.XMLHttpRequest,w=m&&m.prototype;NREUM.o={ST:setTimeout,SI:d.setImmediate,CT:clearTimeout,XHR:m,REQ:d.Request,EV:d.Event,PR:d.Promise,MO:d.MutationObserver};var v=""+location,y={beacon:"bam.nr-data.net",errorBeacon:"bam.nr-data.net",agent:"js-agent.newrelic.com/nr-1071.min.js"},g=m&&w&&w[p]&&!/CriOS/.test(navigator.userAgent),b=n.exports={offset:s,now:a,origin:v,features:{},xhrWrappable:g};t(12),l[p]?(l[p]("DOMContentLoaded",i,!1),d[p]("load",r,!1)):(l[h]("onreadystatechange",o),d[h]("onload",r)),c("mark",["firstbyte",s],null,"api");var x=0,E=t(17)},{}]},{},["loader",2,10,4,3]);</script><script type="text/javascript">window.NREUM||(NREUM={});NREUM.info={"beacon":"bam.nr-data.net","queueTime":0,"licenseKey":"8636ab2091","agent":"","transactionName":"ZwZWZ0NWD0VRAE1YCV5MckZfVBVfXw0WUgleF1FdRRkSQl8RUFQVHhVdVkZEW3VfDU1UCEQnUUdQXg0YVwZN","applicationID":"452513","errorBeacon":"bam.nr-data.net","applicationTime":74}</script>
<link href="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com" rel="dns-prefetch">
<link href="//cdn.texastribune.org" rel="dns-prefetch">
<link href="//static.texastribune.org" rel="dns-prefetch">
<link href="//www.googletagmanager.com" rel="dns-prefetch">
<link href="//www.googletagservices.com" rel="dns-prefetch">
<link href="//ajax.googleapis.com" rel="dns-prefetch">
<link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon" href="/static/images/favicon.ico">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/images/TT-Apple-Touch-icon120x120.e2a478f6e062.jpg">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="152x152" href="/static/images/TT-Apple-Touch-icon152x152.cab17cc714d0.jpg">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/static/images/TT-Apple-Touch-icon180x180.861146488a95.jpg">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="167x167" href="/static/images/TT-Apple-Touch-icon167x167.d14faa539773.jpg">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="128x128" href="/static/images/TT-Android-icon128x128.fa0d7b4ffb46.jpg">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="192x192" href="/static/images/TT-Android-icon192x192.6476f55cfc99.jpg">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/">
<script type="application/ld+json">
  {
    "@type": "NewsArticle",
    "headline": "Coastal Texas county\u0027s long recovery from Hurricane Harvey begins",
    "image": {
      "@type": "ImageObject",
      
        
          "url": "https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/U13Tcp9hcAeJHrEeNjadQYluysU=/1200x804/smart/filters:quality(95)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg",
        
      
      "width": 1200,
      "height": 804
     },
    "mainEntityOfPage": {
      "@type": "WebPage",
      "@id": "https://www.texastribune.org/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/"
    },
    "@context": "http://schema.org",
    "dateCreated": "2017-08-27T01:55:00+00:00",
    "datePublished": "2017-08-27T01:55:00+00:00",

    
      "dateModified": "2017-08-27T01:55:00+00:00",
    

    
      
        "author": {
          "@type": "Person",
          "name": "Brandon Formby"
        },
        "creator": {
          "@type": "Person",
          "name": "Brandon Formby"
        },
      
    

    "publisher": {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "name": "Texas Tribune",
      "logo": {
        "@type": "ImageObject",
        "url": "https://www.texastribune.org/static/images/amp-carousel.114a9bc257b2.png",
        "width": 600,
        "height": 60
      }
    },
    "description": "Nowhere was Hurricane Harvey\u0027s devastation felt more than Aransas County, which has had one storm\u002Drelated death and has had many buildings severely damaged. The region\u0027s difficult physical \u0026mdash\u003B and emotional \u0026mdash\u003B recovery is underway.",
    "inLanguage":"en_US",
    "url": "https://www.texastribune.org/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/",
    "keywords": [
      "texas news",
      "texas politics",
      "texas policy",
      "texas government",
      
        "hurricanes",
      
        "Hurricane Harvey",
      
        "economy",
      
        "transportation",
      
        "Rockport",
      
        "Aransas County"
      
    ]
  }
</script>
<link rel="amphtml" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/amp/">
<meta name="author" content="Brandon Formby" />
<meta name="copyright" content="&copy; The Texas Tribune" />
<meta name="publisher" content="The Texas Tribune" />
<link href="https://plus.google.com/+texastribune/" rel="publisher" />
<meta name="robots" content="index,follow" />
<meta name="siteinfo" content="http://www.texastribune.org/robots.txt" />
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/images/apple-touch-icon.2984da3fd3e8.png" />
<meta name="google-site-verification" content="2RECdeH7aeA9-RQoGzkfTpP5i_3Qz4rtBIR-CdCtvus" />
<meta name="google-site-verification" content="3EMut9KLnb_7fohrI_bDaR4py76QIWAt4uPidjagbzI" />
<meta name="y_key" content="36169ff9ee60f3ab" />
<meta name="msvalidate.01" content="DB22C31255557D1E219990CA92192CBB" />
<meta property="fb:app_id" content="154122474650943">
<meta property="fb:pages" content="124434790836" />
<meta property="og:site_name" content="The Texas Tribune" />
<meta property="og:url" content="https://www.texastribune.org/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/">
<meta name="description" content="Nowhere was Hurricane Harvey&#39;s devastation felt more than Aransas County, which has had one storm-related death and has had many buildings severely damaged. The region&#39;s difficult physical &amp;mdash; and emotional &amp;mdash; recovery is underway." />
<meta name="keywords" content="texas news, texas politics, texas policy, texas government, hurricanes, Hurricane Harvey, economy, transportation, Rockport, Aransas County" />
<meta name="news_keywords" content="texas news, texas politics, texas policy, texas government, hurricanes, Hurricane Harvey, economy, transportation, Rockport, Aransas County" />
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
<meta name="twitter:site" content="@TexasTribune" />
<meta name="twitter:creator" content="@brandonformby">
<meta name="twitter:title" content="Coastal Texas county&#39;s long recovery from Hurricane Harvey begins" />
<meta name="twitter:description" content="Nowhere was Hurricane Harvey&#39;s devastation felt more than Aransas County, which has had one storm-related death and has had many buildings severely damaged. The region&#39;s difficult physical &amp;mdash; ..." />
<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/U13Tcp9hcAeJHrEeNjadQYluysU=/1200x804/smart/filters:quality(95)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg">
<meta property="og:title" content="Coastal Texas county&#39;s long recovery from Hurricane Harvey begins" />
<meta property="og:type" content="article" />
<meta property="og:description" content="Nowhere was Hurricane Harvey&#39;s devastation felt more than Aransas County, which has had one storm-related death and has had many buildings severely damaged. The region&#39;s difficult physical &amp;mdash; and emotional &amp;mdash; recovery is underway." />
<meta property="og:image" content="https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/U13Tcp9hcAeJHrEeNjadQYluysU=/1200x804/smart/filters:quality(95)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg" />
<meta property="article:publisher" content="https://www.facebook.com/texastribune/" />
<meta property="article:published_time" content="2017-08-27T01:55:00+00:00" />
<meta name="parsely-type" content="post" />
<meta name="parsely-title" content="Coastal Texas county&#39;s long recovery from Hurricane Harvey begins" />
<meta name="parsely-link" content="https://www.texastribune.org/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/" />
<meta name="parsely-pub-date" content="2017-08-27T01:55:00+00:00" />
<meta name="parsely-author" content="Brandon Formby" />
<meta name="parsely-tags" content="hurricanes,Hurricane Harvey,economy,transportation,Rockport,Aransas County" />
<meta name="parsely-image-url" content="https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/U13Tcp9hcAeJHrEeNjadQYluysU=/1200x804/smart/filters:quality(95)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/static/css/tt_styles.ac0d100fa053.css">
<script>
  /**
    Promises
    https://github.com/bramstein/fontfaceobserver
  */
  (function(){'use strict';var f,g=[];function l(a){g.push(a);1==g.length&&f()}function m(){for(;g.length;)g[0](),g.shift()}f=function(){setTimeout(m)};function n(a){this.a=p;this.b=void 0;this.f=[];var b=this;try{a(function(a){q(b,a)},function(a){r(b,a)})}catch(c){r(b,c)}}var p=2;function t(a){return new n(function(b,c){c(a)})}function u(a){return new n(function(b){b(a)})}function q(a,b){if(a.a==p){if(b==a)throw new TypeError;var c=!1;try{var d=b&&b.then;if(null!=b&&"object"==typeof b&&"function"==typeof d){d.call(b,function(b){c||q(a,b);c=!0},function(b){c||r(a,b);c=!0});return}}catch(e){c||r(a,e);return}a.a=0;a.b=b;v(a)}}
  function r(a,b){if(a.a==p){if(b==a)throw new TypeError;a.a=1;a.b=b;v(a)}}function v(a){l(function(){if(a.a!=p)for(;a.f.length;){var b=a.f.shift(),c=b[0],d=b[1],e=b[2],b=b[3];try{0==a.a?"function"==typeof c?e(c.call(void 0,a.b)):e(a.b):1==a.a&&("function"==typeof d?e(d.call(void 0,a.b)):b(a.b))}catch(h){b(h)}}})}n.prototype.g=function(a){return this.c(void 0,a)};n.prototype.c=function(a,b){var c=this;return new n(function(d,e){c.f.push([a,b,d,e]);v(c)})};
  function w(a){return new n(function(b,c){function d(c){return function(d){h[c]=d;e+=1;e==a.length&&b(h)}}var e=0,h=[];0==a.length&&b(h);for(var k=0;k<a.length;k+=1)u(a[k]).c(d(k),c)})}function x(a){return new n(function(b,c){for(var d=0;d<a.length;d+=1)u(a[d]).c(b,c)})};window.Promise||(window.Promise=n,window.Promise.resolve=u,window.Promise.reject=t,window.Promise.race=x,window.Promise.all=w,window.Promise.prototype.then=n.prototype.c,window.Promise.prototype["catch"]=n.prototype.g);}());
</script>
<script>
  (function() {
    if (sessionStorage && sessionStorage.criticalFontsLoaded) {
      document.documentElement.className += ' fonts-loaded';
      return;
    }

    /**
      Font Face Observer v2.0.13 - © Bram Stein
      License: BSD-3-Clause - https://github.com/bramstein/fontfaceobserver/blob/master/LICENSE
      Repository https://github.com/bramstein/fontfaceobserver
    */
    (function(){function l(a,b){document.addEventListener?a.addEventListener("scroll",b,!1):a.attachEvent("scroll",b)}function m(a){document.body?a():document.addEventListener?document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function c(){document.removeEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",c);a()}):document.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",function k(){if("interactive"==document.readyState||"complete"==document.readyState)document.detachEvent("onreadystatechange",k),a()})};function r(a){this.a=document.createElement("div");this.a.setAttribute("aria-hidden","true");this.a.appendChild(document.createTextNode(a));this.b=document.createElement("span");this.c=document.createElement("span");this.h=document.createElement("span");this.f=document.createElement("span");this.g=-1;this.b.style.cssText="max-width:none;display:inline-block;position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;overflow:scroll;font-size:16px;";this.c.style.cssText="max-width:none;display:inline-block;position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;overflow:scroll;font-size:16px;";
    this.f.style.cssText="max-width:none;display:inline-block;position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;overflow:scroll;font-size:16px;";this.h.style.cssText="display:inline-block;width:200%;height:200%;font-size:16px;max-width:none;";this.b.appendChild(this.h);this.c.appendChild(this.f);this.a.appendChild(this.b);this.a.appendChild(this.c)}
    function t(a,b){a.a.style.cssText="max-width:none;min-width:20px;min-height:20px;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;width:auto;margin:0;padding:0;top:-999px;white-space:nowrap;font-synthesis:none;font:"+b+";"}function y(a){var b=a.a.offsetWidth,c=b+100;a.f.style.width=c+"px";a.c.scrollLeft=c;a.b.scrollLeft=a.b.scrollWidth+100;return a.g!==b?(a.g=b,!0):!1}function z(a,b){function c(){var a=k;y(a)&&a.a.parentNode&&b(a.g)}var k=a;l(a.b,c);l(a.c,c);y(a)};function A(a,b){var c=b||{};this.family=a;this.style=c.style||"normal";this.weight=c.weight||"normal";this.stretch=c.stretch||"normal"}var B=null,C=null,E=null,F=null;function G(){if(null===C)if(J()&&/Apple/.test(window.navigator.vendor)){var a=/AppleWebKit\/([0-9]+)(?:\.([0-9]+))(?:\.([0-9]+))/.exec(window.navigator.userAgent);C=!!a&&603>parseInt(a[1],10)}else C=!1;return C}function J(){null===F&&(F=!!document.fonts);return F}
    function K(){if(null===E){var a=document.createElement("div");try{a.style.font="condensed 100px sans-serif"}catch(b){}E=""!==a.style.font}return E}function L(a,b){return[a.style,a.weight,K()?a.stretch:"","100px",b].join(" ")}
    A.prototype.load=function(a,b){var c=this,k=a||"BESbswy",q=0,D=b||3E3,H=(new Date).getTime();return new Promise(function(a,b){if(J()&&!G()){var M=new Promise(function(a,b){function e(){(new Date).getTime()-H>=D?b():document.fonts.load(L(c,'"'+c.family+'"'),k).then(function(c){1<=c.length?a():setTimeout(e,25)},function(){b()})}e()}),N=new Promise(function(a,c){q=setTimeout(c,D)});Promise.race([N,M]).then(function(){clearTimeout(q);a(c)},function(){b(c)})}else m(function(){function u(){var b;if(b=-1!=
    f&&-1!=g||-1!=f&&-1!=h||-1!=g&&-1!=h)(b=f!=g&&f!=h&&g!=h)||(null===B&&(b=/AppleWebKit\/([0-9]+)(?:\.([0-9]+))/.exec(window.navigator.userAgent),B=!!b&&(536>parseInt(b[1],10)||536===parseInt(b[1],10)&&11>=parseInt(b[2],10))),b=B&&(f==v&&g==v&&h==v||f==w&&g==w&&h==w||f==x&&g==x&&h==x)),b=!b;b&&(d.parentNode&&d.parentNode.removeChild(d),clearTimeout(q),a(c))}function I(){if((new Date).getTime()-H>=D)d.parentNode&&d.parentNode.removeChild(d),b(c);else{var a=document.hidden;if(!0===a||void 0===a)f=e.a.offsetWidth,
    g=n.a.offsetWidth,h=p.a.offsetWidth,u();q=setTimeout(I,50)}}var e=new r(k),n=new r(k),p=new r(k),f=-1,g=-1,h=-1,v=-1,w=-1,x=-1,d=document.createElement("div");d.dir="ltr";t(e,L(c,"sans-serif"));t(n,L(c,"serif"));t(p,L(c,"monospace"));d.appendChild(e.a);d.appendChild(n.a);d.appendChild(p.a);document.body.appendChild(d);v=e.a.offsetWidth;w=n.a.offsetWidth;x=p.a.offsetWidth;I();z(e,function(a){f=a;u()});t(e,L(c,'"'+c.family+'",sans-serif'));z(n,function(a){g=a;u()});t(n,L(c,'"'+c.family+'",serif'));
    z(p,function(a){h=a;u()});t(p,L(c,'"'+c.family+'",monospace'))})})};"object"===typeof module?module.exports=A:(window.FontFaceObserver=A,window.FontFaceObserver.prototype.load=A.prototype.load);}());

    var openSans = new FontFaceObserver('Open Sans', { weight: 400 }),
        openSansBold = new FontFaceObserver('Open Sans', { weight: 700 }),
        ptSerif = new FontFaceObserver('PT Serif', { weight: 400 }),
        ptSerifBold = new FontFaceObserver('PT Serif', { weight: 700 });

    Promise.all([
      ptSerif.load(null, 5000),
      ptSerifBold.load(null, 5000),
      openSans.load(null, 5000),
      openSansBold.load(null, 5000)
    ]).then(function() {
      document.documentElement.className += ' fonts-loaded';
      sessionStorage.criticalFontsLoaded = true;
    });
  })();
</script>
<script async src="/static/js/autotrack.6c409f89b8d3.js"></script>
<script>
  (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
  (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
  m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
  })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');

  ga('create', 'UA-9827490-1', 'texastribune.org', {'allowLinker': true});
  ga('require', 'GTM-TVMQLX7'); // Require Optimize
  ga('require', 'cleanUrlTracker', {
    stripQuery: true,
    queryDimensionIndex: 1,
    indexFilename: 'index.html'
  });
  ga('require', 'linker');
  ga('linker:autoLink', ['checkout.texastribune.org', 'support.texastribune.org']);
  ga('require', 'eventTracker');
  ga('require', 'displayfeatures');
ga('set', 'dimension4', '116648'); // Unique Content ID
  
  
  ga('set', 'dimension5', "In Harvey&#39;s Wake"); // Series Name
  // hack for Facebook Instant
  if (window.ttFBIA != undefined) {
    // create and send data to the Luna property before the OG one.
    // our site does this automagically, but FBIA needs it
    ga('create', 'UA-9827490-10', 'texastribune.org', 'lunaTracker');
    ga('lunaTracker.set', window.ttFBIA);
    ga('lunaTracker.send', 'pageview');
    ga('set', window.ttFBIA);
  }
  ga('send', 'pageview');
</script>

<script type="text/javascript">
  // DO NOT deviate from this instantiation/push pattern when using the Data Layer.
  // Deviations inevitably produce hard-to-debug errors.
  var dataLayer = window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];

  dataLayer.push({
    'publishDate': '08-26-2017',
    
    
    'contentID': '116648',
    
    
    'contentSeries' : 'In Harvey&#39;s Wake',
    
    'contentType' : 'Story',
    'contentCategory' : 'News'
  });
</script>

<script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':
new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],
j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src=
'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);
})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-P5L2Z5Z');</script>


<script>
  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;
  n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,
  document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');

  fbq('init', '1570461443220689');
  fbq('track', "PageView");
  fbq('track', 'ViewContent');
  fbq('track', 'Search');
</script>
<noscript>
  <img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1570461443220689&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>
</noscript>

<script src="https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js" async></script>
<script>
        document
          .documentElement
          .classList
          .remove('no-js');
      </script>
</head>
<body class="tt_body">

<noscript>
        <iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-P5L2Z5Z" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe>
      </noscript>

<div id="ad_interstitial" class="hidden"></div>
<div id="interstitial-attach"></div>
<div class="grid grid_separator">
<div class="navbar col col_omega">
<nav class="grid_container grid_padded">
<div class="grid_row grid_wrap--l">
<div class="navbar__logo grid_row col_omega">
<div class="col_inline">
<a href="/" class="navbar__logo--link">
<img src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="The Texas Tribune logo" class="navbar__logo--img" />
</a>
</div>
<ul class="col_inline">
<li class="navbar__link hide_from--l">
<button id="menu-open" class="navbar__item"><i class="fa fa-bars" aria-hidden="true"></i>&nbsp;MENU</button>
<button id="menu-close" class="navbar__item hidden"><i class="fa fa-close" aria-hidden="true"></i>&nbsp;CLOSE</button></li>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul class="navbar__right thin col_omega">
<ul id="mobile-dropdown" class="navbar__list grid col col_omega hide_until--l">
<li class="navbar__col navbar__link navbar__col--halfsize hide-on-search"><a class="navbar__item" href="/our-picks/">Our Picks</a></li>
<li class="navbar__col navbar__link navbar__col--halfsize hide-on-search"><a class="navbar__item" href="/data" ga-on="click">Data</a></li>
<li class="navbar__col navbar__link navbar__col--halfsize hide-on-search"><a class="navbar__item" href="/events/">Events</a></li>
<li class="navbar__col navbar__link navbar__col--halfsize hide-on-search"><a class="navbar__item" href="/video/">Video</a></li>
<li class="navbar__col navbar__link hide-on-search"><a class="navbar__item" href="https://support.texastribune.org/">Donate</a></li>
<li id="greeting-attach"></li>
<ul class="navbar__col navbar__search thin grid_row">
<li id="menu-search-open" class="navbar__link col_12" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Frontpage" ga-event-action="navigation" ga-event-label="search-open"><button class="navbar__search--btn navbar__item"><i class="fa fa-search" aria-hidden="true" title="Submit search"></i>&nbsp;<span class="hide_from--l">Search</span></button></li>
<li id="menu-search-form" class="navbar__search--form thin navbar__link col col_omega grid_row hidden">
<form class="header_search grid_row col_11" method="get" action="/search/">
<button class="navbar__item col_inline" type="submit" aria-label="Submit" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Frontpage" ga-event-action="navigation" ga-event-label="search-submit"><i class="fa fa-search" aria-hidden="true" title="Submit search"></i></button>
<input id="site-search-q" class="navbar__search--input col" name="q" type="text" value="" placeholder="What are you looking for?" for="header_search">
</form>
<div id="menu-search-close" class="navbar__link col_inline hidden hide_until--l"><button class="navbar__search--btn navbar__item" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Frontpage" ga-event-action="navigation" ga-event-label="search-close"><i class="fa fa-close" aria-hidden="true"></i>&nbsp;</button></div>
</li>
</ul>

</ul>
</ul>
</div>
</nav>
</div>
</div>
<div class="grid_container hide_until--l">
<div class="site_ad--header">
<div class="adunit" id="ad_roofline"></div>
</div>
</div>
<article class="grid_container">
<header>
<div class="grid_row grid_padded grid_separator">
<div class="col">
<h1 data-url="/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/" itemprop="headline" class="headline grid_separator">Coastal Texas county&#39;s long recovery from Hurricane Harvey begins</h1>
<div class="border--yellow_notch hide_from--s"></div>
<p class="story_summary grid_separator">Nowhere was Hurricane Harvey's devastation felt more than Aransas County, which has had one storm-related death and has had many buildings severely damaged. The region's difficult physical &mdash; and emotional &mdash; recovery is underway.</p>
<p id="byline" class="byline grid_separator"><span class="byline--item">by <a href="/about/staff/brandon-formby/">Brandon Formby</a></span>
<time class="byline--item" datetime="Sat, 26 Aug 2017 20:55:00 -0500" title="2017-08-26 20:55">Aug. 26, 2017</time>
<time class="byline--item" datetime="Sat, 26 Aug 2017 20:55:00 -0500" title="2017-08-26 20:55">8 PM</time>
</p>
<div id="share_button_row" class="grid_row hide_until--s" ga-tracker="social_shares">
<div class="col">
<a class="button button--share_inline button--fb" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.texastribune.org/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/%3Futm_campaign%3Dtrib-social-buttons%26utm_source%3Dfacebook%26utm_medium%3Dsocial" target="_blank" aria-label="Share on Facebook" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Share" ga-event-action="facebook-intent" ga-event-label="Share Button Row">
<i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true" title="Share on Facebook"></i>
</a>
</div>
<div class="col">
<a class="button button--share_inline button--twitter" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.texastribune.org/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/%3Futm_campaign%3Dtrib-social-buttons%26utm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dsocial&amp;text=Coastal%20Texas%20county%27s%20long%20recovery%20from%20Hurricane%20Harvey%20begins&amp;via=TexasTribune&amp;related=TexasTribune,TribTalkTX,TXTribuneEvents,TribData" target="_blank" aria-label="Share on Twitter" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Share" ga-event-action="twitter-intent" ga-event-label="Share Button Row">
<i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true" title="Share on Twitter"></i>
</a>
</div>
<div class="col">
<a class="button button--share_inline button--email" href="mailto:?subject=Coastal%20Texas%20county%27s%20long%20recovery%20from%20Hurricane%20Harvey%20begins&body=https://www.texastribune.org/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/" aria-label="Share this story by email" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Share" ga-event-action="email-intent" ga-event-label="Share Button Row">
<i class="fa fa-envelope" aria-hidden="true" title="Share this story by email"></i>
</a>
</div>
<div class="col story_share--wrapper">
<a class="button button--share_inline button--comments" href="#story_bottom" aria-label="View comments" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Comment" ga-event-action="comment-intent" ga-event-label="Share Button Row">
<i class="fa fa-comments" aria-hidden="true" title="View comments"></i>
16
</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="col_adunit300x250 hide_until--l">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div class="grid_row grid_padded--temp grid_wrap--l grid_separator">
<div class="col">
<figure itemprop="lead_art" class="image_default">
<picture>
<source media="(min-width: 1px)" srcset="https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/xo9gkbVc2pXlZHvVkH9tnwelZ2k=/1250x838/smart/filters:quality(80)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg 1250w,
                    https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/756snQydv7vNGwJaJjyhRXH8YU8=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(80)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg 850w,
                    https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/6LP9pJSFyl8PCVU86h3nzEP4J00=/650x436/smart/filters:quality(80)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg 650w,
                    https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/g7fAF5q89WslB2IZSQrL3KZzZzo=/400x268/smart/filters:quality(80)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg 400w" sizes="(min-width: 52.8025em) calc(100vw - 310px),
                   (min-width: 60em) 597px,
                   (min-width: 67.5em) 632px,
                   100vw">
<img alt="The mostly intact roof of Sazon Studio and Gallery sits atop a pile of rubble that used to be the downtown Rockport building. It was among several structures damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Harvey." src="https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/756snQydv7vNGwJaJjyhRXH8YU8=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(80)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg" srcset="https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/xo9gkbVc2pXlZHvVkH9tnwelZ2k=/1250x838/smart/filters:quality(80)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg 1250w,
                    https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/756snQydv7vNGwJaJjyhRXH8YU8=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(80)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg 850w,
                    https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/6LP9pJSFyl8PCVU86h3nzEP4J00=/650x436/smart/filters:quality(80)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg 650w,
                    https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/g7fAF5q89WslB2IZSQrL3KZzZzo=/400x268/smart/filters:quality(80)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown_2-TT.jpg 400w" sizes="(min-width: 52.8025em) calc(100vw - 310px),
                   (min-width: 60em) 597px,
                   (min-width: 67.5em) 632px,
                   100vw">
</picture>
<figcaption class="image_default--caption">
<p>
<p>The mostly intact roof of Sazon Studio and Gallery sits atop a pile of rubble that used to be the downtown Rockport building. It was among several structures damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Harvey.</p>
<cite><i class="fa fa-camera"></i> Brandon Formby / The Texas Tribune</cite>
</p>
</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<div class="col_adunit300x250 hide_until--l">
<div class="site_ad--gray grid_separator">
<span class="site_ad--label">The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors.</span>
<div class="site_ad--wrapper">
<div class="adunit" id="default_300x250_1"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</header>
<div class="grid_row grid_wrap--l grid_padded">
<main class="col " role="main">
<div class="series_header grid_separator">
<figure>
<img src="https://static.texastribune.org/media/series/TT-InHarveysWake-logo-horizontal001.png" alt="In Harvey&#39;s Wake" />
</figure>
<p>The devastation was swift, and the recovery is far from over. <a title="Sign up for The Brief" href="https://texastribune.typeform.com/to/nRbPm8">Sign up</a>&nbsp;for our ongoing coverage of Hurricane Harvey's aftermath. You can help by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2017/09/19/how-were-covering-aftermath-hurricane-harvey/#share" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">sharing your story here</a>&nbsp;or sending a tip to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:harvey@texastribune.org" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">harvey@texastribune.org</a>.</p>&nbsp;<span class="full_story"><a class="unlink" href="/series/in-harveys-wake/">More in this series&nbsp;<i class="fa fa-long-arrow-right"></i></a></span>
</div>
<div class="story_body grid_separator">
<p dir="ltr">ROCKPORT &mdash; As Ruben Sazon waited out Hurricane Harvey in his apartment Friday, he was certain that his roof was going to be ripped off.</p>
<p>"The howl of the wind was amazing," he said, adding that "it came in with a roar."</p>
<p dir="ltr">The roof stayed in place.&nbsp;But the Category 4 hurricane did enough structural damage to make his home uninhabitable, leaving Sazon with no place of his own and uncertainty about what he'll do next.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"This is the history-making hurricane," Sazon said Saturday of the storm that pummeled the area he has called home for more than two decades. "This the one people will always be talking about."</p>
<div class="site_ad--wrapper instory">
<p class="site_ad--label">The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. <a href="https://mediakit.texastribune.org/" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Sponsorship" ga-event-action="sponsorship-intent" ga-event-label="Hum">Become one</a>.</p>
<div class="site_ad--instory">
<div class="adunit tablet mobile standard" id="premium_468x60_1"></div>
</div>
</div>
<p dir="ltr">Across this&nbsp;battered nook of the Texas coastline, Aransas County and its residents are beginning the difficult work of installing order and a sense of normalcy after Hurricane Harvey&rsquo;s brutal arrival the night before. But unrelenting rain and wind from the massive storm are muddling those initial efforts.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Emergency personnel poured into Aransas County on Saturday and began assessing this normally laid-back coastal community&rsquo;s damage, which included complete loss of power, hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage and an untold number of impassable roads.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The seemingly random scattershot of destruction &mdash; decimated buildings, snapped power poles, downed trees &mdash; alongside completely intact structures leads officials to believe that tornadoes came with the storm.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s evident the way the damage is,&rdquo; Aransas County Judge </span>C.H. &ldquo;Burt&rdquo; Mills Jr.&nbsp;said Saturday.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>At least one person died in a house fire that officials didn&rsquo;t discover until after Harvey moved through. Emergency calls couldn&rsquo;t be made or answered during the brunt of the storm&rsquo;s impact. About 40 percent of the 24,500 people who call Aransas County home defied a mandatory evacuation order and stayed behind. So far, only 12 to 14 people with non-life-threatening injuries required medical attention. But local, state and federal officials on Saturday had just started arduous search-and-rescue efforts to aid anyone trapped. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>They plan to evacuate those in damaged homes who can&rsquo;t leave on their own. </span></p>
<div class="site_ad--wrapper instory">
<p class="site_ad--label">The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. <a href="https://mediakit.texastribune.org/" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Sponsorship" ga-event-action="sponsorship-intent" ga-event-label="Hum">Become one</a>.</p>
<div class="site_ad--instory">
<div class="adunit tablet mobile standard" id="premium_468x60_2"></div>
</div>
</div>
<p dir="ltr"><span>&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have a place to put them,&rdquo; Mills said. &ldquo;We can&rsquo;t take care of them.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Despite a cavalry of regional, state and federal responders, the county&rsquo;s inundated infrastructure and lack of power left local leaders unable to estimate when the tens of thousands who fled in a highway-clogging exodus ahead of the storm will be able to return home. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr">For now, officials want them to stay out. Expectations that the rain will last days forebode worsening conditions. And as the county&rsquo;s tiny beach towns begin the early stages of recovery, Harvey&rsquo;s large size and slow movement will continue to threaten other parts of the state with flood damage likely to require great demand for&nbsp;response resources.<span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><br /></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Still, county leaders remained optimistic that the area will be restored and rebuilt. Fulton Mayor Jimmy Kendrick said residents love their community. As he surveyed damage early in the day, he stumbled across parishioners of a damaged church already cleaning up. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>&ldquo;We are one,&rdquo; he said.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr"><span>"Devastating"</span></h3>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Ahead of the storm, Sazon, an artist and jeweler, placed his sofa upright to block the doorway to his living room, where mattress box springs blocked a sliding glass door to his second-floor apartment's balcony.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Harvey&rsquo;s&nbsp;merciless winds broke every window in his apartment.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">"All you could hear was things hitting, glass breaking," Toni Castillo, Sazon's girlfriend, said of the storm.</p>
<div class="site_ad--wrapper instory">
<p class="site_ad--label">The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. <a href="https://mediakit.texastribune.org/" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Sponsorship" ga-event-action="sponsorship-intent" ga-event-label="Hum">Become one</a>.</p>
<div class="site_ad--instory">
<div class="adunit tablet mobile standard" id="premium_468x60_3"></div>
</div>
</div>
<p dir="ltr"><span><span class="m_371555347349875522gmail-aBn"><span class="m_371555347349875522gmail-aQJ"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_793260424"><span class="aQJ">On Saturday</span></span></span></span> morning, Sazon headed to downtown Rockport to check on the studio where he paints, makes jewelry and sells his work. What had been a small, waterfront building with a turquoise awning facing the town&rsquo;s shop-lined Austin Street was essentially nothing more than an intact roof sitting atop a pile of collapsed rubble.</span></p>
<div>
<figure class="image_default"><img src="https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-Downtown-6_TT.jpg" alt="Texas state troopers are shown in Rockport on Aug. 26, 2017, the day after the town sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Harvey. " /><figcaption class="image_default--caption">Texas state troopers are shown in Rockport on Aug. 26, 2017, the day after the town sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Harvey. <i class="fa fa-camera"></i> Brandon Formby</figcaption></figure>
</div>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Sazon, who rented his apartment and the building where he ran Sazon Studio and Gallery, didn&rsquo;t have insurance for either. With no cellphone service, Sazon and his girlfriend didn&rsquo;t have a way to call relatives or friends. They planned to drive about 30 miles west to Corpus Christi and stay with his daughter. From there, they hoped to figure out what to do next.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s devastating to me,&rdquo; he said from his&nbsp;car in front of what had been the studio.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Hope amid concern</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Troy and Laurie Rodgers had retired to a condo on Aransas Bay after spending decades vacationing in the small town. As Harvey approached, they decided to leave. Troy Rodgers left <span class="m_371555347349875522gmail-aBn"><span class="m_371555347349875522gmail-aQJ"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_793260425"><span class="aQJ">Friday</span></span></span></span>, hours before Harvey made landfall. But Laurie Rodgers headed out the night before. The drive to Austin, where her sister lives, took eight hours, more than double the time it usually does. Cars were bumper to bumper for the first hour out of town. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>&ldquo;Every gas station was packed,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;The traffic was terrible."</span></p>
<div>
<figure class="image_default"><img src="https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/26/Harvey-Rockport-BoatStorage.jpg" alt="Hurricane Harvey decimated Cove Harbor Marina &amp; Drystack in Rockport, tearing apart buildings and tossing boats on top of each other. " /><figcaption class="image_default--caption">Hurricane Harvey decimated Cove Harbor Marina &amp; Drystack in Rockport, tearing apart buildings and tossing boats on top of each other. <i class="fa fa-camera"></i> Brandon Formby</figcaption></figure>
</div>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Their condo is a block from downtown, where a spattering of satellite trucks was parked <span class="m_371555347349875522gmail-aBn"><span class="m_371555347349875522gmail-aQJ"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_793260426"><span class="aQJ">Saturday</span></span></span></span> so television reporters could do national broadcasts. The couple, like others who fled ahead of the storm, spent <span class="m_371555347349875522gmail-aBn"><span class="m_371555347349875522gmail-aQJ"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_793260427"><span class="aQJ">Saturday</span></span></span></span> watching the coverage in shock over the damage reports.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>&ldquo;We kind of joke around and then all of a sudden something will hit and I&rsquo;m just trying not to cry,&rdquo; Laurie Rodgers said. &ldquo;The reality of it is kind of overwhelming.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Like local leaders, Laurie Rodgers is hopeful despite the continuing waves of concern.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>&ldquo;I think it will be fine,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I think people will ... choose to stay and rebuild.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Shannon Najmabadi contributed to this report.</em></p>
<p><strong>Read related Tribune coverage:</strong></p>
<ul id="readmore-headline">
<li>
<p><a href="/2017/08/26/hurricane-harvey-hits-texas/" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Related link" ga-event-action="/2017/08/26/hurricane-harvey-hits-texas/" ga-event-label="related - ReadMore">Hurricane Harvey slams Texas</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="/2017/08/25/houston-faces-massive-flooding-harvey-heres-where-its-flooded-past/" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Related link" ga-event-action="/2017/08/25/houston-faces-massive-flooding-harvey-heres-where-its-flooded-past/" ga-event-label="related - ReadMore">Why Houston isn&#39;t ready for Hurricane Harvey</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="/2017/08/25/officials-send-texans-mixed-messages-hurricane-evacuations/" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Related link" ga-event-action="/2017/08/25/officials-send-texans-mixed-messages-hurricane-evacuations/" ga-event-label="related - ReadMore">Ahead of Hurricane Harvey, officials send Texans mixed messages on evacuations</a></p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="grid_separator">
<header class="grid_separator--s">
<h3 class="link--teal smallcaps">Get The Brief</h3>
<span class="sansserif">Never miss a moment in Texas politics with our daily newsletter.</span>
</header>
<form id="mailchimp-form-9eb53e440f" class="form" name="mailchimpSubscribe" ga-event-label="story page">
<ol class="form_list--hidden">
<li>
<input id="9eb53e440f" class="hidden js-mailchimp-interest" type="checkbox" name="9eb53e440f" value="" checked>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="grid_row grid_separator--s js-mailchimp-input">
<input class="form_side--input js-mailchimp-email" type="email" name="email" placeholder="Your email" required>
<input class="button button--yellow form_side--button js-mailchimp-submit" type="submit" value="Subscribe">
</div>
<div class="grid_row loading--xs hidden"></div>
<div class="grid_row grid_separator--s js-mailchimp-response hidden"></div>
</form>
</div>
<div class="story_comments">
<a id="story_bottom" class="story_comments--anchor"></a>
<h3 class="grid_separator">
<a id="comment-show" class="link--teal" href="" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Comment" ga-event-action="comment-intent" ga-event-label="Hum - Bottom">
<i class="fa fa-comments"></i>
<span id="comment-count"></span>
</a>
<a id="comment-hide" class="link--teal hidden" href="" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Comment" ga-event-action="comment-hide" ga-event-label="Hum - Bottom">
<i class="fa fa-comments-o"></i>
Hide all comments
</a>
</h3>
<div id="comment-content" class="comment--container hidden">
<div id="comment-policy" class="box_information">
<h5 class="smallcaps grid_separator--s">Comment Policy</h5>
<p class="subtext">The Texas Tribune is pleased to provide the opportunity for you to share your observations about this story. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask that you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or wandering away from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of the Tribune, and your real name will be displayed. All comments are shown in Central Time. Thanks for taking time to offer your thoughts.</p>
</div>
<h4 id="comment-anonymous" class="comment--post grid_separator">
<strong>You must be logged in to leave a comment.</strong> | <a href="/accounts/login/?next=/2017/08/26/coastal-texas-countys-long-recovery-hurricane-harvey-begins-amid-turmo/" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Comment" ga-event-action="login-intent" ga-event-label="Hum - Bottom">Login</a> | <a href="/accounts/register/" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Comment" ga-event-action="signup-intent" ga-event-label="Hum - Bottom">Sign Up</a>
</h4>
<form id="comment-form" action="" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
<h5 class="smallcaps">Your Comment</h5>
<textarea id="comment-entry" cols="40" name="comment" rows="10"></textarea>
<div class="comment--post">
<p id="comment-name-notification"></p>
<input id="comment-submit" class="button button--yellow" type="submit" value="Post Comment" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Comment" ga-event-action="comment-submit" ga-event-label="Hum - Bottom">
</div>
</form>
<ul id="comment-list" class="story_comments--list"></ul>
<button id="comment-load-more" class="button button--yellow grid_separator hidden">Read More Comments</button>
</div>
</div>
<section class="grid_separator">
<div id="member-image-attach" class="loading--s" aria-hidden="true"></div>
</section>
<div class="print__hide">
<aside id="related-content" class="related__list grid_separator hidden">
<div id="related-content-attach" class="loading--s" aria-live="polite"></div>
</aside>
<aside id="most-read" class="related__list grid_separator">
<div id="most-read-attach" class="loading--s" aria-live="polite"></div>
</aside>
</div>
</main>
<aside class="col_adunit300x250 " role="complementary">
<div class="hide_until--l print__hide">
<div class="grid_separator">
<h3 class="font-serif grid_separator--s"><a class="button button--teal button--s" href="/content/republish/116648/" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Republish" ga-event-action="republish-intent" ga-event-label="Hum - Siderail">Republish this story</a></h3>
<p class="subtext">Find out how you can <a class="republish" href="/content/republish/116648/" ga-on="click" ga-event-category="Republish" ga-event-action="republish-intent" ga-event-label="Hum - Siderail">put this story on your website</a>.</p>
</div>
<div class="site_ad--gray grid_separator">
<div class="site_ad--wrapper site_ad--promotion">
<h3 class="smallcaps--teal">Be a citizen,<br />not a spectator.</h3>
<p class="grid_separator">Support independent, fact-based journalism. Donate to our 501(c)(3) <strong>nonprofit newsroom.</strong></p>
<h5 class="smallhead--light">Donate today by visiting:</h5>
<a class="site_ad--promotion_link" href="https://support.texastribune.org/?utm_campaign=trib-marketing&utm_source=site-visitors&utm_medium=website&utm_content=plain-text-ad"><strong>texastribune.org/donate</strong></a>
</div>
<div class="site_ad--wrapper">
<div class="adunit" id="default_300x250_2"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="site_ad--gray grid_separator">
<span class="site_ad--label">The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors.</span>
<div class="site_ad--wrapper">
<div class="adunit" id="default_300x250_3"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="grid_separator print__hide">
<script async src="https://modules.wearehearken.com/texas-tribune/embed/21.js"></script>
</div>
</aside>
</div>
</article>
<footer>
<div class="site_ad--wrapper site_ad--footer">
<div id="ad_footer"></div>
</div>
<div id="site_footer" class="site_footer">
<div class="grid_container grid_row">
<div class="col">
<figure class="site_footer--logo">
<img src="/static/images/TxTrib-bug-logo.d96b6a55ca6d.svg" alt="">
</figure>
<ul>
<div class="border--yellow_notch"></div>
<li>
<a href="https://support.texastribune.org/?campaignId=70146000000ppFH&utm_campaign=trib-marketing&utm_source=homepage-footer&utm_medium=website&utm_content=membership-promo " title="Donate" class="donate">Donate</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="mailto:inquiries@texastribune.org" title="Contact Us">Contact Us</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://mediakit.texastribune.org/" title="Advertise" class="advertise">Advertise</a>
</li>
<li><a href="/">&copy; 2018 The Texas Tribune</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div id="footer-sections" class="col hide_until--s">
<h5 class="site_footer--header">Topics</h5>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="/topics/congress/" data-section="congress">Congress</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/courts/" data-section="courts">Courts</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/criminal-justice/" data-section="criminal-justice">Criminal justice</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/demographics/" data-section="demographics">Demographics</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/economy/" data-section="economy">Economy</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/energy/" data-section="energy">Energy</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/environment/" data-section="environment">Environment</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/health-care/" data-section="health-care">Health care</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/higher-education/" data-section="higher-education">Higher education</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/immigration/" data-section="immigration">Immigration</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/politics/" data-section="politics">Politics</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/public-education/" data-section="public-education">Public education</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/topics/state-government/" data-section="state-government">State government</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="col">
<h5 class="site_footer--header">Info</h5>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="/about/" title="About Us">About Us</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/about/staff/">Our Staff</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/support-us/donors-and-members/" title="Who Funds Us?">Who Funds Us?</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/republishing-guidelines/" title="Republishing Guidelines">Republishing Guidelines</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/about/ethics/" title="Code of Ethics">Code of Ethics</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/about/terms-of-service/" title="Terms of Service">Terms of Service</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/about/privacy-policy/" title="Privacy Policy">Privacy Policy</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/about/tips/" title="Send a Tip">Send us a confidential tip</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/corrections/" title="Corrections">Corrections</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/about/feeds/" title="Feeds">Feeds</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/about/subscribe/" title="Newsletters">Newsletters</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="col">
<h5 class="site_footer--header">Social Media</h5>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://facebook.com/texastribune" title="Facebook" class="external"><i class="fa fa-facebook"></i>Facebook</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://twitter.com/texastribune" title="Twitter" class="external"><i class="fa fa-twitter"></i>Twitter</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://youtube.com/user/thetexastribune" title="YouTube" class="external"><i class="fa fa-youtube"></i>YouTube</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://instagram.com/texas_tribune" title="Instagram" class="external"><i class="fa fa-instagram"></i>Instagram</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/texas-tribune" title="LinkedIn" class="external"><i class="fa fa-linkedin"></i>LinkedIn</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</footer>
<script>
  (function() {
    var footerLinks = document.querySelectorAll('#footer-sections a');

    for (var i = 0; i < footerLinks.length; i++) {
      var currLink = footerLinks[i];

      (function() {
        currLink.addEventListener('click',
          function(e) {
            var section = this.getAttribute('data-section');
            ga('send', 'event', 'footer-section-link', 'click', section, { 'nonInteraction': 1 });
          }
        );
      })();
    }
  })();
</script>
<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.3.1.min.js" integrity="sha256-FgpCb/KJQlLNfOu91ta32o/NMZxltwRo8QtmkMRdAu8=" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
<script>
          window.lazySizesConfig = {
            lazyClass: 'js-lazy-image',
            loadingClass: 'js-lazy-image--loading',
            loadedClass: 'js-lazy-image--loaded'
          };
        </script>
<script src="/static/js/build/manifestBundle.05a638c8b6ce8785a4ef.js"></script>
<script src="/static/js/build/vendorBundle.5f55487eec08728e602e.js"></script>
<script src="/static/js/build/commonBundle.aea55b450235e9068b52.js"></script>
<script src="/static/js/build/storyBundle.a799719bf8724aa7510e.js"></script>

<div id="parsely-root" style="display: none">
<div id="parsely-cfg" data-parsely-site="texastribune.org"></div>
</div>
<script>
    (function(s, p, d) {
      var h=d.location.protocol, i=p+"-"+s,
        e=d.getElementById(i), r=d.getElementById(p+"-root"),
        u=h==="https:"?"d1z2jf7jlzjs58.cloudfront.net"
        :"static."+p+".com";
      if (e) return;
      e = d.createElement(s); e.id = i; e.async = true;
      e.src = h+"//"+u+"/p.js"; r.appendChild(e);
    })("script", "parsely", document);
  </script>


<script>
!function(e,t,n,s,u,a){e.twq||(s=e.twq=function(){s.exe?s.exe.apply(s,arguments):s.queue.push(arguments);
},s.version='1.1',s.queue=[],u=t.createElement(n),u.async=!0,u.src='//static.ads-twitter.com/uwt.js',
a=t.getElementsByTagName(n)[0],a.parentNode.insertBefore(u,a))}(window,document,'script');
// Insert Twitter Pixel ID and Standard Event data below
twq('init','nxdko');
twq('track','PageView');
</script>

<a href="/test/hotbots/" rel="nofollow"> </a>
<script type="text/javascript">
  var InterstitialHandler = function(settings) {
    var config = {
      overlay: {
        className: 'interstitial_overlay'
      },

      ad: {
        className: 'interstitial_overlay--ad'
      },

      closeButton: {
        className: 'interstitial_overlay--closeButton',
        html: '&times;'
      },

      link: {
        attrs: {
          target: '_blank',
          href: settings.clickTo,
          rel: 'notarget'
        }
      },

      img: {
        attrs: {
          src: settings.imgSrc
        }
      }
    };

    var $overlay = _createElementWithClass('<div/>', config.overlay.className),
      $ad = _createElementWithClass('<div/>', config.ad.className),
      $link = _createElementWithClass('<a/>', false),
      $img = _createElementWithClass('<img/>', false),
      $closeButton = _createElementWithClass('<button/>', config.closeButton.className);

    function _createElementWithClass(tag, className) {
      if (className) {
        return $(tag).addClass(className);
      } else {
        return $(tag);
      }
    }

    var _setElAttributes = function($el, attrs) {
      for (var key in attrs) {
        $el.attr(key, attrs[key]);
      }
    };

    var _setElHTML = function($el, html) {
      $el.html(html);
    };

    var _bindEvents = function() {
      $closeButton.click(function(){
        _hideOverlay();
      });

      $overlay.click(function(e){
        if ($(e.target).is($(this))) {
          _hideOverlay();
        }
      });
    };

    var _hideOverlay = function() {
      $overlay.remove();
    };

    var _showOverlay = function() {
      $(settings.attachElSelector).replaceWith($overlay);
    };

    var init = function() {
      _setElAttributes($img, config.img.attrs);
      _setElAttributes($link, config.link.attrs);
      _setElHTML($closeButton, config.closeButton.html);

      $link.append($img);
      $ad.append($link);
      $ad.append($closeButton);
      $overlay.append($ad);

      setTimeout(function(){
        _showOverlay();
        _bindEvents();

        setTimeout(function() {
          _hideOverlay();
        }, settings.hideTime * 1000);
      }, 1000);
    };

    return {
      init: init
    };
  };
</script>
<script>
        (function() {
          var gutenTags = [];

          
            gutenTags.push('subject-hurricanes');
          
            gutenTags.push('subject-hurricane-harvey');
          
            gutenTags.push('subject-economy');
          
            gutenTags.push('subject-transportation');
          
            gutenTags.push('place-rockport');
          
            gutenTags.push('place-aransas-county');
          

          jsBundle.createGlobal();
          jsBundle.setGlobal({
            meta: {
              gutenTags: gutenTags
            }
          });
        })();
      </script>
<script>
  (function() {
    var gutenTagsToEmbed = [],
        readMoreLinks = [],
        series = { hasSeries: false, slug: '' },
        contentType,
        appLabel,
        model;

    
      
        gutenTagsToEmbed.push('subject-hurricanes');
      
    
      
        gutenTagsToEmbed.push('subject-hurricane-harvey');
      
    
      
    
      
    
      
    
      
    

    
      readMoreLinks.push('116613')
    
      readMoreLinks.push('116606')
    
      readMoreLinks.push('116607')
    

    
      appLabel = 'stories';
      model = 'story';
      contentType = 'story';
    

    
      series.hasSeries = true;
      series.slug = 'in-harveys-wake';
    

    jsBundle.setGlobal({
      meta: {
        isDjangoCms: false,
        contentType: contentType,
        objId: '116648'
      },

      story: {
        related: {
          gutenTagsToEmbed: gutenTagsToEmbed,
          readMoreLinks: readMoreLinks
        },

        staffActions: {
          appLabel: appLabel,
          model: model
        },

        series: series
      }
    });
  })();
</script>
<script>
        jsBundle.initialize();
      </script>
<script>
        jsBundle.defineUnit({
          id: 'ad_roofline',
          type: 'roofline'
        });

        jsBundle.defineUnit({
          id: 'ad_interstitial',
          type: 'interstitial'
        });

        jsBundle.defineUnit({
          id: 'ad_footer',
          type: 'footer'
        });
      </script>
<script>
    jsBundle.defineUnit({
      id: 'default_300x250_1',
      type: 'default300x250'
    });

    jsBundle.defineUnit({
      id: 'default_300x250_2',
      type: 'default300x250'
    });

    jsBundle.defineUnit({
      id: 'default_300x250_3',
      type: 'default300x250'
    });

    jsBundle.defineUnit({
      id: 'premium_468x60_1',
      type: 'premium468x60'
    });

    jsBundle.defineUnit({
      id: 'premium_468x60_2',
      type: 'premium468x60'
    });

    jsBundle.defineUnit({
      id: 'premium_468x60_3',
      type: 'premium468x60'
    });
  </script>
<script>
        jsBundle.buildUnits();
      </script>
</body>
</html>
