Here is some raw video following Ikes damage, the initial footage is Tiki Island or what's left!
http://www.khou.com/video/news-index.html?nvid=282567

The corner icon on the video screen will give you full screen viewing.

 

Here is another perspective on the close-up in my previous post. HPH

 

Great link, thanks. My heart breaks for all the people in Ike's path and I'm thankful you're all safe!

 

A sad thing that many non-Texans don't realize, is that many of those who lost homes on the beach may not be able to rebuild even if they want to. In Texas, your property line is the first row of vegetation and as erosion occurs, you are apt to lose property. In a situation where a storm moves that vegetation line behind your property, you are SOL. And to add insult to injury, you have to pay for removal of any structure that is now on state lands. Unless someone has been successful in the last couple of years, this has been fought in court forever and no one has ever won a case.

 

...As distinct from here in Florida, where property reclaimed by the ocean gets replaced at taxpayer expense, to the benefit of the property owner. Including private beaches. Sheesh. HPH

 

^ Good point Martha, many of the structures that appear to be standing actually have no interior walls or belongings due to the storm surge flushing the contents outside. I have seen local news reports indicating many more buildings are basically uninhabitable or structurally unsafe due to water invasion.

As if Houston and Galveston were not bad enough, most of east Texas is without power nearly to Huntsville. Several major transmission lines were damaged and they will not be repaired for seven to ten days. This area took high winds for seven + hours with many areas suffering extreme damage to structures.

 

^^ Actually my brother and sister-in-law in Huntsville (Elkins Lake) lost power as the storm came in during the wee hours Saturday morning and are still without.

 

And also as distinct from South Carolina where, after Hurricane Hugo in 1989, this issue went all the way to the US Supreme Court (Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council, 505 U.S. 1003 (1992)). Enforcement of the "setback" as defined by the "new" beach location was ruled to be a govenrment "taking" that required compensation. South Carolina abandoned its ordinance and everyone rebuilt multi-million dollar homes on the front row.

 

It amazes me that they allow building in some areas, which at the possibility of affronting some, I consider to be remarkably brain dead.
I amazes me even more that they then succeed in getting flood insurance.
Sure they have a wonderful view but are ground zero when a storm hits.

 

They get flood insurance the same way I do: via Uncle Sam. Their premiums are probably somewhat higher than mine (I'm 16' above sea level, and the ocean is 5 miles east), just as is insurance for expensive properties in midwestern river flood plains. But it's all subsidized by all of us taxpayers. HPH