WEST NUECES COUNTY, Texas — One of the hardest-hit communities after the May 8 windstorm is Petronila. KRIS 6 News talks with storm victims about their plans without insurance or federal help.
“I'm gonna try do what I can, but it's so unfortunate that we are not gonna get that help,” Yaxaira Castillo, Petronila neighbor, said.
Castillo is a single mother of two children and was inside their RV home when last week's windstorm literally flipped their life around.
Castillo said she lost everything she had built up for her family. She now questions If it's even worth living out in the rural area due to Nueces County not being able to have a disaster declaration and get federal help.
“Had any of us, you know, God forbid, passed away from this situation, what would have happened?” Castillo said. “How would that would have been taken care of? How would I be able to move on?”
Other Petronila neighbors dealing with the aftermath have leaned on the community or charities for help through this hard time
A Petronila resident who preferred to stay anonymous told Neighborhood News Reporter, Stephanie Molina, that a group of volunteers came over to clean up the debris on their property for free.
“These guys came to volunteer and ever since then stuff got a little faster, a little more weight lifted off our shoulders,” Petronila neighbor said.
Tatiana Garcia's home was also affected. She was inside with her husband when the storm hit.
Garcia said she fears for the elderly who perhaps aren't as willing to start all over like many are having to.
“Well, you have to start and look for your own things and get ahead on your own, because expecting other people to help you, well, no,” Garcia said.
The Nueces County Emergency Management Coordinator, Dee Hawkins, told KRIS 6 News that there are two steps to getting federal assistance like FEMA.
One is meeting the $1.6 million threshold for the county. The second is meeting the state's $55.3 million threshold.
“When the public assistance is brought in, that's what allows the counties and the cities to recoup some of those costs because even like us and like the people that are affected, we don't have that much money laying around to do that,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins said the county is trying to get volunteer agencies that have the ability to help the community get back on its feet.
“We're just trying to put as much out there that we can and that we can actually provide without that public assistance,” Hawkins said.
About 199 homes were documented from the Texas Department of Emergency Management's iSTAT damage surveys. Forms collected are from homes in Petronila, Driscoll, and Bishop. They all range from major to minor damage. Hawkins encourages the community to keep filling out those surveys.
Hawkins mentions there will be a resource fair that is scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, at the Petronila Elementary School. The fair begins at 2 PM. TDEM will be at the fair trying to help the community fill out the surveys. Red Cross, Frontier Waste Solutions and the Salvation Army will also be attending.
