Hurricane Harvey that hit the Texas Gulf Coast starting on Friday night, August 25, 2017 and continuing for six days of record rainfall dumped 27 trillion gallons of rain on Texas and Louisiana. The death toll from the storm stands at 41 but may rise as more homes are checked for damages and fatalities.
Greene County and surrounding communities are asked to donate various items to be delivered to families in the affected areas in Texas. Second Baptist Church in Eutaw (located at 217 Tuscaloosa Ave.) will be accepting donations to assist the storm victims.
The church will be open to accept donations Tuesday through Saturday from 8:00 am to 12 noon and 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm daily. Second Baptist will deliver all donations to the location of the truck in Greene County, which will depart on September 11. Suggested items to donate include the following: baby wipes, bottled water, cleaning supplies, coloring books, crayons, diapers, hand sanitizer, paper towels, soap, toothbrushes, tooth paste, toys etc.
Reportedly, 72,000 people were rescued from floods, more than 50,000 were in shelters, and 30,000 people will require temporary shelter as their homes have been totally destroyed. An estimated 450,000 people across the region will request help from FEMA due to damages from the storm.
Harvey may end up being the costliest natural disaster in the history of the United States, considering the size and population of the area affected. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee estimates the cost of recovery in Texas and Louisiana at $150 billion in homes, business and other property.
The City of Houston has been one of the hardest-hit cities across the region with widespread and unprecedented flooding. Some areas picked up more rain in one hour than they typically receive during the entire month of August.
Beaumont, Orange, Port Arthur and other smaller cities in Texas near the Louisiana state line were also hard hit and flooded. Rivers across the region will continue to rise for days as water gradually drains down stream. Some rivers are projected to crest more than 10 feet above previous record levels.