BOLIVAR — It was clear Monday that Bolivar Peninsula, which has about 5,000 residents, was the hardest hit area in Galveston County by Hurricane Rita.
Several beach houses were destroyed and there was widespread damage to structures such as metal buildings.
The biggest problem, however, was going to be electricity, officials said.
“They’re not going to have power for at least a month, maybe two,” County Judge Jim Yarbrough said.
That news raised big questions for peninsula schools, including a Galveston Independent School District campus that just opened in August after a long and often contentions wait.
Yarbrough said the company that owns the peninsula’s power lines and utility poles, Entergy, was based in East Texas, which took the brunt of the hurricane.
Damage to the network was so extensive that it would take months to repair, even using crews from other companies, Yarbrough said.
Up to 36 utility poles were down on the peninsula, according to county emergency managers.
Because of the power outages, officials in the two school districts were uncertain when classes would resume.
Students who live on the eastern end of the peninsula are in the High Island Independent School District. Students on the western end are in the Galveston Independent School District.
Mike Sims, High Island’s superintendent, said initial reports indicated that school buildings escaped major damage.
However, the district is without electricity, so school has been canceled for the rest of the week, Sims said.
About 250 students attend High Island schools.
“We just don’t have power and we’re not sure when we are going to get it,” Sims said. “It could be quite some time, so we called off school this week. At this time I can’t say when we will reopen. It all depends on when electricity is restored.”
Lack of electricity is also a problem for the Galveston Independent School District’s new school in Port Bolivar.
District administrators said Crenshaw Elementary and Middle School would remain closed until power is restored.
The school, which serves kindergarten through eighth- grade students, opened last month in Port Bolivar.
Christine Hopkins, spokeswoman for the Galveston school district, said some water did leak into the school and the media center during the storm.
However, the biggest problem is the lack of electricity.
One Bolivar resident called The Daily News asking if an emergency shelter would be opened on the mainland. He said the lack of power and other conditions made Bolivar an impossible place to live.
“We’ve not opened any shelter’s yet, but that’s something we’re looking at,” Yarbrough said.
In the meantime, the American Red Cross was working to get drinking water and food to the peninsula, Yarbrough said.
Sheriff Gean Leonard said the peninsula’s roads were passable, but deputies at a checkpoint near the Chambers County line would continue to rebuff anyone who was not a resident or property owner.
“We’re continuing to allow property owners and residents, because we certainly respect their rights to inspect their property, and they’re aware that they’re entering a situation where no services are available,” Leonard said. “However, the curious can wait.”
Officials with the county health district have been working to determine whether the peninsula’s water supply was safe to drink, but fear remains that the supply could be contaminated, officials said.
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Boil the water
Bolivar Peninsula residents should boil water until further notice. If that’s not possible, the Galveston County Health District, recommends adding eight drops of unscented chlorine bleach to a gallon of water; shake and allow to sit for 30 minutes. For more detailed instructions, see the district’s Web site, http://www.gchd.org/pages/ech/disinfectdrinkwater.htm
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Bolivar Peninsula at a glance
• A shipment of food, water and other supplies from the Red Cross arrived on the peninsula for distribution by local volunteer fire departments. Supplies will be available at the VFDs in Port Bolivar, Crystal Beach, Gilchrist and High Island as soon as it can be distributed. • Plans are under way to obtain ice for distribution today. • Two ferries were running between Galveston Island and the peninsula Monday. • A checkpoint remains on Highway 124 south of High Island manned by Galveston County sheriff’s deputies and members of the High Island EMS/fire squad. Officers are allowing residents only to enter. • Gulf Coast Market, the largest grocery on the peninsula, intended to open at 8 a.m. today with full services, including gasoline. The market is operating on a large diesel generator. • The Crystal Beach County Annex will open today, along with all other county offices. — Source: Galveston County Office of Emergency Management
