New Video from Jamaica Beach

[Race1Mopar]

Here is a new video of Jamaica Beach. It's just shy of 3 min long and I can't see my house but maybe it will help one of you see your street, house or at least give you a better perspective of the damage.

http://www.khou.com/video/index.html?nvid=283364

Although we all have our reservations of damage and it will be a long haul, I know we'll stick together as a community and come out stronger and more aware in the future.

I pray that all your families are well, all your losses are recoverable that this disaster has at least brought a silver lining of washing those toxins getting in our speckled trout out of the bay!

[WestEndAngler]

I have video that I will be uploading shortly that I took yesterday on the ground... I drove all the way down to Jamaica Beach.

[Race1Mopar]

Thank you, that would be greatly appreciated. Did you happen to to on to Jolly Roger?

[Race1Mopar]

Here is another report of Jamaica Beach.

http://www.khou.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23620

here is some useful information. almost better than pictures.

Jamaica Beach assesses damage, begins recovery

By Leigh Jones
The Daily News
Published September 17, 2008

JAMAICA BEACH — Hurricane Ike pummeled the Jamaica Beach dunes into a flat but narrow expanse of sand. Waves now lap where undulating dunes once stood in front of the first row of beachfront houses.

“I don’t like what I see here,” said Mayor Vic Pierson, who toured the beachfront area for the first time Tuesday morning. Before that, the floodwater was still too high for anyone to get a good look at the damage.

The tide coming in from the beach was about 12 feet, Pierson said. The bay tide was about 9.3 feet, he said.

Homes

Ike destroyed many beachfront homes, ripping pieces of some off pilings and obliterating others. But as in other West End neighborhoods east of Jamaica Beach, the damage diminished the farther away houses were from the gulf.

Most of the damage to homes on the north side of FM 3005 was confined to first floor garages. But the rising water swept up boats and any cars left when residents evacuated and scattered them around the small city.

Pierson lost most of his garage, but the rest of the house, including his new deck, was virtually untouched. His boat was gone.

Three homes on the south side of Marina Drive, starting at the second lot to the east from Bob Smith Road, burned to the ground during the storm, when firefighters were unable to venture out to battle the blaze, Pierson said.

Two homes collapsed — one on Flamingo Way and one at the corner of Managua Way and Bob Smith Road.

Only nine of the city’s 1,200 full-time residents rode out the storm in their Jamaica Beach homes. All of them survived, Pierson said. City officials say they have no reports of any fatalities.

Recovery efforts

At city hall and the Jamaica Beach fire station, City Manager John Brick, Alderman and Fire Chief Steve Spicer and several volunteer firefighters were already sweeping the mud out of the fire bays and scooping out debris with a small bulldozer.

Like Galveston officials, Spicer said he was worried about the possibility of more fires when the electricity comes back on. Winds from Hurricane Ike’s back side bent power poles on FM 3005 toward the gulf, but they did not appear seriously damaged. Pierson said he hoped CenterPoint Energy would be able to restore electricity to the area sooner than the four weeks originally predicted.

By then, officials hope water service also is restored so that firefighters won’t have to draft water from the city’s canal system or use up all of the supply in their tanker trucks to beat down any blazes that flare up.

On Tuesday, firefighters were organizing the city’s supplies and food, which Spicer requisitioned from residents’ freezers to keep it from spoiling.

They planned to start spraying for mosquitoes Tuesday night, Pierson said.

Beach reconstruction

Jamaica Beach and the Texas General Land Office rebuilt the city’s dune system and restored its 3,760 linear feet of beaches not long before the hurricane destroyed them.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency should cover most of the cost to restore the sand to its pre-storm levels, Pierson said.

But the project is likely to cost the city about $500,000 in local match funds, Pierson said. Residents will have to decide whether they want to continue with plans to build a community pool or spend the money on the beaches, he said.

HOW JAMAICA BEACH FARED

How did other Jamaica Beach structures fare?

• The Jamaica Beach Food Store seemed fine from the outside.

• City hall had only minor damage.

• The Jamaica Village shopping center did not flood.

• The Valero gas station did flood, but the building appeared structurally sound.

[WestEndAngler]

They had it blocked you cant access Jamaica Beach on the street by the Valero... We stayed on the Beach side...

[Race1Mopar]

Thank you again. If I find anything I will update.
Joe