WR native says Harvey floods worst she has seen

WINDOW ROCK

To date nearly 40 Navajo families living in southern Texas have been affected by Hurricane Harvey.

According to a Facebook page called “Navajo In The City,” Navajo families have posted comments, saying they have been affected by the hurricane.

Like Collette Billy, originally from Vanderwagon, New Mexico, now living in Odem, Texas, wrote her family was in need of assistance.

“Our power is out. No water. Our power box and line was ripped our from the storm,” she posted.

And Kelsey Bradford, another Navajo living in the Houston area, wrote that his family was ordered to evacuate their home on Friday morning, and were not allowed to return until the mandatory evacuation order was lifted.

Collete Billy posted this video on her Facebook page, showing flooding in Odem, Texas, where she now resides. “Still no luck with San Patricio electric. Going on 5 days without no electricity. ? hopefully soon, ” she wrote.

Renita Chambers, originally from Window Rock, said she and her family were fortunate their home was not flooded.

“I have a half a tank left in my vehicle and the gas stations where I live are still closed,” she said. “We are hoping the gas trucks will come and fill the gas stations because we just want to try and go back to living a normal life.”

Chambers said grocery stores were limiting how many people could go in and purchase items and restaurants were operating on a limited basis and offering five items on their menus. Even the 24-hour Walmart near her house was closing at 6 p.m.

With Harvey being downgraded to a tropical depression, which already caused colossal damage to the city of Houston, and Port Arthur, Texas, located east of the devastated city, another hurricane is headed their way.

Hurricane Irma, which is expected to reach the shores of Puerto Rico by next Wednesday morning, is slowly moving across the Atlantic Ocean. Forecasts predict Irma will turn north towards the Florida coast.

Meanwhile, Navajo families, like Renita Chambers’ family, continue to cope with the after affects of Harvey.

While the floods have mostly receded, the Federal Emergency Management Administration are telling residents in Texas and Louisiana to not return home if they’ve been evacuated.
“Do not attempt to return home until local officials say it is safe to do so,” FEMA stated.

FEMA advised locals to continue monitoring the weather and follow directions of state and local officials.

More then six millions Houstonians were hit by Harvey. Chambers said she and her family were fortunate they did not lose their home. However, the floodwaters did reach their street.

“We haven’t been able to leave since Friday. Tuesday is the first time it stopped raining a little bit,” Chambers said on Wednesday. “(Harvey) dropped billions of gallons of water throughout the city. We can’t drive anywhere because the roads are all flooded.”

Chambers, who lives in Pearland, located south of Houston, said some of her neighbor’s homes weren’t so lucky. Just a few houses down from hers, she said homes got flooded.
As of Thursday, Chambers posted on her Facebook page she was able to drive on one of the main highways.

“It’s such a relief to see the city coming back together and getting back on track,” she wrote. “Everyone has been so worried and mentally stressed out.”

Chambers said she, her husband and their two daughters have been living in Houston since 2000 and are not strangers to hurricanes and tropical storms. Two hurricanes before Harvey stand out to Chambers.

Tropical Storm Allison, the first major storm she experienced, made landfall on June 5, 2001. She remembers Allison dropped lots of rain.

The other storm, Hurricane Ike, which hit the area on September 1, 2008, Chambers said brought a lot of wind. But Harvey’s flood was the worst she’s ever seen since she moved there 17 years ago.

On Friday morning, the Navajo Nation president’s office announced that they would be flying to Houston and visit Navajo families who’ve been affected by Harvey.

“In light of the recent natural disaster that is occurring in Houston, Texas, with Hurricane Harvey, the Office of the Navajo Nation President and Vice President are assessing the needs of Houston-area Navajo tribal members affected by the flood,” communications director Mihio Manus wrote in a text. “OPVP is assessing and gathering resources to put toward assisting our affected tribal members. The office is currently formulating a plan to travel to Houston on Sunday, Sept. 3, to visit and assist Navajo families and members living in the area.”

Chambers said the president should expect to be greeted by Houston’s generosity and kindness when they arrive.

“There’s a lot of mental stress and physical stress. We are trying to go back to loving normal lives again, but when you see whole neighborhoods destroyed… you can only listen,” she said.

Manus said the president’s office is going to have a donation drive, which will be held until 7 p.m., Friday night, and Saturday, from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Window Rock. Items that will be accepted are basic toiletry items, like shampoo, soap, personal hygiene items, canned goods, dry food, water, Gatorade, juices, a school supplies, and clothing for for children.

A member of Begaye’s staff, Michele Crank, said Navajo families living in Houston can contact her at mcrank@navajo-nsn.gov, or 928-245-8966.

---