SAN ANTONIO – Heavy rains and high winds destroyed street signage, toppled trees and caused an overflow in San Pedro Creek north of downtown this weekend.
“One of our unhoused neighbors drowned as a result of this severe weather,” Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said.
In a press conference, Mayor Jones and officials said the Friday evening storm swept a homeless woman and another woman down San Pedro Creek north of downtown. The other woman escaped the water. It was not until a day later that the victim’s body was found Saturday night.
“Our thoughts are with her family,” Jones said.
San Antonio shelter officials said that before the storm, they had outreach workers warning homeless men and women about the heat and rough weather.
“Part of their conversation does also include, ‘We could have storms that pop up and rapid rainfall and potential flash flooding,’” Terri Behling said.
She said they also connect them with shelters that have openings.
But the homeless woman was not the only body found.
The body of a man turned up in Woodlawn Park Sunday morning. Investigators are trying to figure out if the storm is responsible for killing him.
Still, 11,000 people are without power in their homes, learning about the news almost two days after the storm, all while the Texas heat bears down on San Antonio.
“For the most part, the building is a little warmer than normal,” Salvation Army Major Jeremiah Romack said.
The Salvation Army on Elmira Street, sheltering around 100 people, had parts of its roof ripped off. Its staff was able to share some good news: They got more backup generators to cool more of the building down.
“They know that we’re just trying to do the best we can to serve them,” Romack said.
Tonight CPS Energy is getting some help. An electric cooperative company is sending 50 line workers to help get power back into homes.