Timber Lakes neighborhood becomes 'slow motion disaster'
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The neighborhood Timber Lakes/Timber Ridge, which is south of The Woodlands, was heavily affected by the rains and flooded streets.
Many residents of the community had to evacuate from their homes.
Ted Oberg is calling this devastated area a "slow motion disaster." Inch by inch, you can practically watch this water come up and there's nothing you can do to stop it.
"It's really hard knowing all my stuff is in there," resident Kelsey Chapla said.
PHOTOS: Flooding across southeast Texas
Chapla's house has feet of water inside, so does Billy Kayser's.
It might be just stuff - the family is all OK - but stuff comes with memories, and this isn't one he wanted. It all sunk in.
"It did when I walked into my kids room and saw all of his stuff floating. He's only 3 and a half. It hurts a bit," he said.
Some weren't as lucky.
"The water was so high," said Angela Jones.
When the water started to take over Jones' street, she got her three kids and left. But when they came back.
"It was like a river inside the house and then when I went around and everything was just dirty," she explained.
Everything in her home was damaged, muddy and waterlogged.
"Nothing is salvageable. Everything I own is on the back of that little trailer. I have to start all over I've got to figure out where to begin again," says Jones.
Across the street from Joneses, the same story.
"We got washers, dryers,,sofas chairs and tables out and a lot of it's falling apart because of the water. Everything is gone," said Sonya Kerr.
Eyewitness News found the Kerr's working through the night, tossing out furniture and trash, helping their friends who also lost everything.
"We're just cleaning the house out so we can start rebuilding again," said Kerr.
Some homes closer to Spring Creek are still underwater. Many had to be rescued. Dozens of families left displaced.
"The community has come together and it's a hub," said Pastor Lenny Zohn.
"Come on in," says the sign outside the Sawdust Road Baptist Church, which is now offering bags of food, cots fresh clothes, hot showers and much needed prayers.
"This is the hardest part for me. It's easy to talk about the superficial, but the thing to note is that we have people that really lost everything they owned," said Pastor Zohn.
Some families like the Joneses still figuring out where to go.
"I had somewhere to stay last night and I have somewhere to stay tonight other than that I don't know. Honestly I don't know."
Spring Creek will keep rising Tuesday, and for some, that means the only way out is on one of the big trucks rescuing residents.
Latest on historic flooding across Houston area
It hasn't been this bad since '94. Problem is it's not over yet.
"It's frustrating knowing there is nothing we can do to stop it, but we think we are as prepared as we can be," resident James Noack said.
The American Red Cross has opened shelters to aid those impacted by severe rain and flooding throughout the Greater Houston area. The full list of shelters is below:
AUSTIN COUNTY:
Knights of Columbus Hall, 1390 US-90, Sealy
HARRIS COUNTY:
Chinese Community Center, 9800 Town Park Dr., Houston
Willow Meadows Baptist Church, 9800 Town Park Dr., Houston
Johnston Middle School, 10410 Manhattan Dr., Houston
Jersey Village Baptist Church, 16518 Jersey Drive, Jersey Village
MO Campbell Education Center, 1865 Aldine Bender Rd., Houston
Rosehill United Methodist Church, 21022 Rosehill Church Rd, Tomball
South County Community Center, 2235 Lake Robbins Rd., Spring
MONTGOMERY COUNTY:
East Montgomery County Senior Center, 21679 McCleskey Road, New Caney
First United Methodist Church in Conroe, 4309 West Davis, Conroe
WALLER COUNTY:
Pine Island Baptist Church, 36573 Brumlow Rd., Hempstead
Royal High School, 2550 Durkin Rd., Pattison
These shelters will be open 24 hours a day, providing a warm, dry place to stay, food and emotional support for area residents who are not able to remain at their homes due to storms and flooding.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED! Volunteers are greatly needed to staff shelters as well as distribute food and provide other services to those in need. Training will be provided on site. Anyone interested in assisting this way is encouraged to go to redcross.org/volunteer or call 713.313.5491.
FOR HELP: Those with flood-related needs are urged to call the American Red Cross at 1-866-526-8300.
TO DONATE: Those who wish to donate to flood relief may do so at redcross.org/donate.
