Hurricane Hanna lashes South Texas
Disaster declared as area also deals with virus spike
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration Saturday for 32 counties in Texas being battered by Hurricane Hanna, a dangerous storm exacerbated by the challenges of COVID-19.
Wind gusts, storm surges and heavy rainfall were expected to cause life-threatening flash flooding in the lower Rio Grande Valley and Corpus Christi areas, Abbott said. He warned that the storm also had the potential to worsen the COVID-19 pandemic in those areas, and he implored residents to keep the virus in mind as they seek to protect their lives and loved ones.
“Any hurricane is an enormous challenge,” Abbott said. “This challenge is complicated and made even more severe, seeing that it is sweeping through an area that is the most challenged area in the state for COVID-19.”
Hurricane Hanna roared ashore onto the Texas Gulf Coast on Saturday, bringing winds that lashed the shoreline with rain and storm surge, and even threatening to bring possible tornadoes.
The first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season made landfall twice as a Category 1 storm on Saturday afternoon within the span of a little over an hour. The first landfall happened around 5 p.m. about 15 miles north of Port Mansfield, which is about 130 miles south of Corpus Christi. The second landfall took place nearby in east
ern Kenedy County.
Hanna had come ashore with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. As of 9 p.m., winds had dropped to 80 mph, a number expected to continue weakening as the storm moves inland. It was moving west southwest at 8 mph, about 25 miles northwest of Port Mansfield and about 75 miles south of Corpus Christi.
In a tweet, President Donald Trump said his administration was monitoring Hanna, along with Hurricane Douglas, which was heading toward Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.
The disaster declaration allows Abbott to waive regulations that would impede a rapid response, and it also opens the door for potential federal assistance, which Abbott has requested.
The National Guard and other Texas agencies have deployed search and rescue teams to the affected areas, and Abbott said they are also sending 17 emergency teams to shelters to test people for COVID-19. San Antonio has opened its Freeman Coliseum as a shelter for those evacuating, and the Red Cross will be there to assist as well.
Fearing spread of virus
Forecasters said Hanna could bring 6 to 12 inches of rain through Sunday night — with isolated totals of 18 inches — in addition to coastal swells that could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
At the same time, the state must also respond to the COVID-19 virus which is still rapidly spreading across Texas. Friday marked a three-day streak of the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in a single day in Texas, according to a Houston Chronicle data analysis. The state reported 6,939 cases and 162 new deaths Saturday for a total of 4,957 statewide.
The Rio Grande Valley, a vast region of South Texas that encompasses Brownsville, Harlingen to South Padre Island, has struggled to contain the virus. Hidalgo County, which includes McAllen, reported 564 new cases and 23 deaths on Saturday. Hidalgo County’s total case count has surpassed15,000 and there have been 456 COVID-19 deaths.
Farther north in the Corpus Christi metro area, Nueces County had a spike of 354 cases reported on Friday, bringing the county total to 9,961.
Elected officials in the threatened regions told residents to take precautions for the hurricane, but also for COVID-19. Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb reminded those leaving the beaches to keep masks on while traveling, and urged residents to resist going to the beach to watch the storm.
“Don’t ever underestimate the power of water and what it can do,” he said. “It’s not forgiving.”
Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales told residents to avoid travel if they are in a safe place.
“This is Mother Nature’s stayat-home order for all of us,” Canales said during a Corpus Christi media briefing on Saturday.
Sherry Boehme, who lives in a condo along the beach in Corpus Christi, said the storm’s approach had increased the anxiety she has felt during the pandemic. The 67year-old has mostly stayed at home because of health issues related to chronic lung disease.
“It’s almost like a double whammy to us,” Boehme said Saturday by phone. “I think it’s made a lot of people nervous. … We’ll get through it. Everybody is good and strong and sticks together.”
More than 43,700 people throughout South Texas, including Corpus Christi, Harlingen and Brownsville, were without power Saturday evening, according to AEP Texas.
The company said Friday that while it would try to maintain electric service during the storm, crews would not attempt to restore power until it was safe to do so after the storm passed.
Oil and gas operations
Corpus Christi is home to several refineries and petrochemical plants located along Nueces Bay. The Port of Corpus Christi, which primarily services the oil and gas industry, suspended all ship traffic Friday night, and crews prepared the port for a hurricane.
All vessel movement and cargo operations at the port are restricted, and the port is in “full-preparedness” mode, according to a Friday night statement by Sean Strawbridge, chief executive officer of the Port of Corpus Christi.
Operations at CITGO’s Corpus Christi refinery are continuing, a spokesperson said Saturday morning. The refinery, which is located on 890 acres on the coast of Nueces Bay and employs more than 1,000 employees and contractors, has the capacity to process 167,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
“We have procedures in place to ensure the safety of our employees, contractors and surrounding communities, while focusing on the continuous supply of product to our customers,” said Jennifer Lira, a CITGO spokesperson.
Valero’s Bill Greehey Refineries complex and Flint Hills Resources’ east and west refineries are also in Hanna’s path on Nueces Bay. Spokespersons at Valero and Flint Hills Resources did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.
Wet weekend in Houston
The storm mostly skirted Houston, though some outer bands of the hurricane brought rain and gusty winds to the city and region. Radars showed some of those outer bands making their way over Houston on Saturday morning.
The highest precipitation totals were at Hobby Airport (2.86 inches), Clear Lake City (2.52) and Alvin (2.09), according to the National Weather Service Houston/ Galveston.
“Locally, we are still expecting a breezy and rather wet weekend,” said Eric Berger, who runs Space City Weather.