{"id":32521,"date":"2013-11-13T09:41:07","date_gmt":"2013-11-13T15:41:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/?p=32521"},"modified":"2013-11-13T12:53:36","modified_gmt":"2013-11-13T18:53:36","slug":"like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Like A Bomb Went Off&#8217;: Scenes from the Halloween Flood Recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-32521 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4772\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4772-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4772-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4772-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4772-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4772-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4772-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4772-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4772-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32527'>\n\t\t\t\tDebbie Lonzano slept in a tent in her yard surrounded by possessions she hoped she could salvage.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4776\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4776-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4776-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4776-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4776-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4776-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4776-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4776-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4776-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32528'>\n\t\t\t\tVolunteers clear dead trees that were pushed onto property by flood waters.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4813\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4813-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4813-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4813-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4813-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4813-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4813-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4813-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4813-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32529'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Home where Lozano lived with her boyfriend will most likely have to be destroyed said volunteers.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4838\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4838-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32542\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4838-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4838-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4838-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4838-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4838-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4838-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4838-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32542'>\n\t\t\t\tA volunteer in Bluff Springs.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4869\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4869-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4869-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4869-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4869-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4869-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4869-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4869-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4869-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32530'>\n\t\t\t\tVolunteers clear a pile of debris from yard. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4927\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4927-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4927-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4927-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4927-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4927-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4927-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4927-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4927-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32546'>\n\t\t\t\tThe creek clogged with debris, including dead animals.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4942\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4942-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32544\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4942-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4942-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4942-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4942-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4942-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4942-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4942-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32544'>\n\t\t\t\tVolunteers mobilize at a nearby church.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_5011-2\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_5011-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_5011-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_5011-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_5011-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_5011-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_5011-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_5011-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_5011-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32533'>\n\t\t\t\tVolunteers hope to clear the creek one load at a time.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4900\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4900-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32531\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4900-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4900-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4900-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4900-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4900-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4900-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4900-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32531'>\n\t\t\t\tCreek littered with debris.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4964\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4964-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4964-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4964-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4964-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4964-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4964-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4964-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4964-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32532'>\n\t\t\t\tAnimals rot in the water.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4905-2\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49051-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32543\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49051-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49051-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49051-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49051-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49051-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49051-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49051-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32543'>\n\t\t\t\tPhoto albums found in the debris.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2013\/11\/13\/like-a-bomb-went-off-scenes-from-the-halloween-floods\/img_4762\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4762-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-32545\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4762-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4762-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4762-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4762-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4762-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4762-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4762-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-32545'>\n\t\t\t\tVolunteers at staging center organizing for cleanup.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>After <a style=\"font-size: 14px;\" href=\"http:\/\/kut.org\/post\/austin-travis-county-works-rebuild-devastating-halloween-floods\">the floods on Halloween morning<\/a> destroyed their home in Bluff Springs, a community just across the Austin city line in unincorporated Travis County, Debbie Lozano and her boyfriend slept in a tent in their yard.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe got this creek right here, Boggy Creek, and then it runs in the back of the property into Onion Creek. So we got it double wammied!\u201d she says, remembering a frantic escape in the night, the water rising to her chest.<\/p>\n<p>They had no transportation, and didn\u2019t want to leave their dogs behind. So when the flood receded they lit a campfire to stay warm, and began hauling their waterlogged possessions, what they could salvage, into the yard to dry.<\/p>\n<p>Saturday, nine days after the flooding, volunteers arrived to rip out sheet rock and insulation from the house, clear debris and saw apart trees the waters had pushed against the property. Lozano said it was the first time anyone had come to help clean. She called the assistance a \u201cmiracle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/119827949\" height=\"166\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou know, we were out here all by ourselves. Nobody was trying to help and it was just him and I, so it felt like we were literally on a desert island,\u201d says Lonzano.<\/p>\n<p>But the broken houses and piles of trash were just a small part of the devastation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou outta see down there,\u201d says Lozano\u2019s boyfriend Richard Neilson, gesturing to the back of the property. \u201cYou outta see how it looks down there. It\u2019s like a bomb went off! I mean there\u2019s so much trash. People\u2019s doors, windows, barrels, trash everywhere. It\u2019s unbelievable!\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32535\"  class=\"wp-caption module image left\" style=\"max-width: 300px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"Volunteers clear debris from Onion Creek.\" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4888.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32535\" alt=\"Volunteers clear debris from Onion Creek.\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4888-300x199.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4888-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4888-620x412.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Mose Buchele<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Volunteers clear debris from Onion Creek.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Down in Onion Creek, volunteers stood in a line passing debris up an embankment and into wheelbarrows. It was treacherous work that required balancing on unsteady piles of rubble.<\/p>\n<p>Parts of the creek were piled high with refuse. There were television sets, picket fences, an overturned billiards table, a surprising number of tires &#8212; basically anything you could think of.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI found a photo box with a bunch of different photos,\u201d says volunteer Michele Feria. \u201cA picture of a father and his son \u2026 I definitely want to save these and see if I can find the owners. These are the things you can\u2019t replace, right?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But there was one kind of refuse they were told not to touch: dead animals.<\/p>\n<p>Among them: a dead horse, dog, goat, and deer, all rotting in the creek bed, sometimes in the still-flowing water.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32536\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 300px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"A horse that perished in the flood.\" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4917.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32536\" alt=\"A horse that perished in the flood.\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4917-300x199.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4917-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_4917-620x412.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Mose Buchele<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">A horse that perished in the flood.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a horse over there, a goat over here, and then further up there, it looks like a deer, but it could be a dog\u201d says Lina Meaux, another volunteer. \u201cThe homeowner says he thinks it\u2019s a dog, and that the city was called and that they were supposed to pick it up the next day, and they still havn\u2019t been out there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHopefully they\u2019ll come and take care of this for them, because its not good living conditions for them by any means,\u201d Meaux adds.<\/p>\n<p>The horse looked as though it had been tied by its leg to a tree. When the waters came, it didn\u2019t have a chance. There were other things decaying under the debris that would remain unidentified. You could smell them, but not see them.<\/p>\n<p>Back at the staging area where the<a href=\"http:\/\/www.adrntx.org\/\"> Austin Disaster Relief Network<\/a> was organizing volunteers, Executive Director Daniel Geraci is told about the horse.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32552\"  class=\"wp-caption module image left\" style=\"max-width: 300px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"A photo album found in the debris.\" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49052.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32552\" alt=\"A photo album found in the debris.\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49052-300x199.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49052-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2013\/11\/IMG_49052-620x412.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Mose Buchele<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photo album found in the debris.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThat is a health risk, so I\u2019m calling animal control to see if I can get those guys out there,\u201d Geraci says.<\/p>\n<p>He believes the city and county lost valuable time immediately following the flood by not getting disaster assessment teams out in the field. He said it was as though nobody understood how bad things were, and that meant volunteer help was a long time in coming.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo the word wasn\u2019t really out there until probably the fifth or sixth day. And that\u2019s when we start beginning to see a little bit more volunteers trickle in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There will need for volunteers well into the future as the cleanup turns to rebuilding, according to the Austin Disaster Relief Network.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After the floods on Halloween morning destroyed their home in Bluff Springs, a community just across the Austin city line in unincorporated Travis County, Debbie Lozano and her boyfriend slept in a tent in their yard. \u201cWe got this creek right here, Boggy Creek, and then it runs in the back of the property into [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[58],"tags":[338],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32521"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32521"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32526,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32521\/revisions\/32526"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}