'The water took it all': Starr county waits for FEMA aid after this week's flooding

Oscar Rosa Jr. lost nearly everything to this week's flood.

A new big screen TV — busted.

His truck — flooded.

Power tools, clothes, new furniture — ruined.

Rosa, 32, lives in a low-lying area in Escobares, which was hit hard by flooding Monday. The water remained in his home for two days after it entered. Now he and his family are trying to adjust to the thought of losing so much.

"The water took it all," Rosa said as he surveyed the area around his home.

Starr County was hit by a deluge of rain Monday, with some areas receiving as many as 16 inches of rainfall. Officials say the area between Escobares and Roma suffered the most damage.

Friday, a band of thunderstorms dropped an additional 5 to 6 inches of rain on the county, according to the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Brownsville. Again, Roma was hit the hardest.

Local officials now estimate more than 1,100 homes were flooded, said Gene Falcon, Starr County's emergency management coordinator.

The floodwater has receded, largely due to a pumping effort that included assistance from Hidalgo County, Cameron County and McAllen. But the effects of the rain and some minor flooding from Friday's storm still lingers.

As of Friday, 43 people remained at the American Red Cross shelter at the Roma Community Center, Falcon said.

And residents are still cleaning up the mess the storm left.

Rain poured through the roof of Eustcio Garza Jr.'s home as water also came under the door.

The floodwater in his neighborhood was as deep as his thigh, soaking even the interior of residents' trucks. Though the water has receded, it has left a stench throughout Garza's small home.

At the nearby home of his mother, Aurora Muñoz, tape and tacks hold up the ceiling, which started to sag from the rain accumulation.

"It was a lot of water," Garza said. "That water was coming inside."

The financial toll of the storm will be particularly devastating here, where the majority of residents live below the poverty level and can't afford flood insurance.

Escobares Mayor Noel Escobar estimates fewer than 10 percent of residents here have flood insurance.

On Friday, representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, along with state officials, toured Starr County to begin assessing the damage.

They spoke with residents like Gladys Salinas, 26, who said nearly all of her furniture was destroyed by floodwater.

FEMA's findings will help determine what sort of aid, if any, for which residents here may qualify.

Gov. Rick Perry issued a state disaster declaration for Starr County on Wednesday and has requested a presidential disaster declaration.

A presidential declaration would open the door for financial assistance, temporary housing and tax relief for those affected by the flood.

It's unclear how quickly such a declaration might be made, but residents affected by Hurricane Dolly became eligible for aid about a week after the storm hit.

For now, nonprofit agencies are helping residents recover. The Salvation Army is distributing food in the area, and several religious groups are distributing cleaning supplies.

The state health department is offering tetanus and hepatitis A vaccinations.

As residents await possible financial assistance from FEMA, the recovery effort continues to crawl along.

"We've been cleaning slowly," said Rosa, the Escobares resident. "It's hard work."

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Ryan Holeywell covers PSJA, the Mid-Valley and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4446.