Rockport residents bunker down for Tropical Storm Beryl

• Several Rockport residents decide to stay home during Tropical Storm Beryl.
• Becky Mays, Tammie Wildman and their mother took precautions to their homes as the storm inched near the coast.

In preparation for Tropical Storm Beryl, many Rockport residents along the coast have evacuated while others have decided to ride out the storm. That because around the coastal line, many homes and businesses are prepared for living on the coast.

Becky Mays and her family decided to stay in their homes during the storm. They have taken precautions for themselves like taking things off their patios, tiring down larger outdoor furniture and securing their boats.

They are staying alert and up-to-date with weather reports.

Mays said the community remembers what Hurricane Harvey did on the coast in 2017.

“We survived Harvey and the whole town has a little bit of PTSD - if you will. So, people are taking it really seriously. When they said to start boarding up - people took that very seriously. We started closing our hurricane shutters,” Mays said.

Tammy Wildman, Becky Mays’ sister, said her and her husband feel safe. When Hurricane Harvey hit, they only had a broken window.

While the Wildmans’ are staying, Tammy said, others in the area are not.

“Last night about 9:30 p.m. the fire trucks were driving through Key Allegro - saying evacuate now, evacuate now. And we watched a mass exodus. People with boats and cars and campers,” Wildman said.

The high winds is something Tammy said she’s concerned about. Why?

Because there is trash and debris left behind from Tropical Storm Alberto that hasn’t been picked up.

Rockport officials said if things continue - as they anticipate - that residents who have stayed may not have access to emergency help.

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