Tropical Storm Harvey: Rescued evacuees seek shelter

Houston convention center becomes flooding evacuation shelter

Some of the people rescued from the flooding caused by Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey will be staying at a number of shelters that are open in and around the Houston area. The main shelter is downtown at the George R. Brown Convention Center, where the Red Cross has set up what they describe as a mega-shelter facility.

People came in on foot, and even by the truck load.

Massive city dump trucks served as rescue vehicles, delivering people plucked from flooded homes and roadways.

The evacuees had to climb aboard using ladders, "and we held on for dear life," one woman said.

Evacuees are unloaded from the back of an open-bed truck at the George R. Brown Convention Center after Hurricane Harvey inundated the Texas Gulf coast with rain causing widespread flooding, in Houston, Texas, August 27, 2017. Nick Oxford/Reuters

Once inside, the Red Cross helps them get situated, with a hot meal and dry clothes.

"I lost everything -- cars, I lost a couple vehicles. My whole apartment is flooded," said Angela.

"The people who have been coming are coming in with very small trash bags, sometimes nothing, sometimes just wrapped in a towel," the American Red Cross' Betsy Robertson told O'Donnell. 

Robertson assured "CBS This Morning" anchor Norah O'Donnell that more supplies are coming: "We just really want to make sure everybody here has what they need."

The Patel family spent the night in the shelter after being rescued from their flooded neighborhood by a Coast Guard helicopter. Chhaya Patel had used an umbrella and a white T-shirt to flag the helicopter over to them.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter carrying evacuees comes in for a landing near the George R. Brown Convention Center after Hurricane Harvey inundated the Texas Gulf coast with rain causing widespread flooding, in Houston, Texas, August 27, 2017. NICK OXFORD/REUTERS

Frieda Banboie and her sister, who is nine months pregnant, were lifted to safety by the Coast Guard, too, before being brought to the shelter with a handful of belongings.

"The Coast Guard, they did everything," she told O'Donnell. "True heroes."

Officials in Dallas say they'll be opening a mega-shelter there, too, on Tuesday morning for people fleeing the remnants of the storm.

Dallas already has three shelters currently open to evacuees.

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.