Monday’s Hurricane Beryl caused massive damage to dozens of homes in Shenandoah Valley, toppling towering pine tress into homes and cars, blowing fences down and demolishing a few garages. Some of the most heavily damaged homes are on Driftwood, Holly Hill, Shenandoah Drive and Rosewood.
One resident praised the city’s public works department and said crews were out even before the storm ended and did a good job of clearing debris from the road. However, as of this writing, a couple of downed power lines (marked with orange cones) remain on Driftwood and Holly Hill. At least one resident reported a downed power line in her back yard and most residents in the valley area are still without power.
A homeowner who has lived in the city since 1992 said he thought the city did a better job when Hurricane Ike came through because there was more communication from city officials. Another said many elderly residents aren’t on the internet so it’s hard for them to know about the resources that are available, such as the cooling center in city council chambers, open daily from 8 to 5 where charging stations, water and internet services are available. City Administrator Kathie Reyer said, “We are preparing to be open through the weekend if power is not restored. I anticipate that will be the case.”
