Victims Of Harvey Share Stories Of Survival From Inside Houston Convention Center

The George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston has exceeded capacity, with more people seeking and needing shelter. People inside the convention center share their stories of surviving Harvey.

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Harvey is still causing a lot of trouble in some parts of Houston. Floodwaters are rising, and people are being evacuated from their homes. In other parts of the city, conditions are improving. Some roads have cleared.

KELLY MCEVERS, HOST:

Twenty-four-year-old Luiz Reyez went home today to see what had happened to his apartment.

LUIZ REYEZ: It was a relief to finally be back home. When we walked in, there was a little bit of water inside of our apartment. Some of the items are a little bit destroyed. It was minor. I know our neighbors downstairs - their apartment got completely destroyed. So we were advised to contact FEMA due to mold and unstable foundation downstairs.

MCEVERS: He knows it's going to be a long process. Earlier this week on Monday, Reyez and his younger brothers and nephew had to evacuate with help from the National Guard. They ended up at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

SHAPIRO: Reyez says it was hectic and loud 24/7.

REYEZ: We tried our best to find an area where we can kind of just talk and just relax and kind of just take our minds off of things. But everywhere we went, there was tons of people in different areas, you know, doing different things. And there was nowhere to go.

SHAPIRO: Still, Reyez says he's grateful for all the help he and his family received, and the entire experience has shifted his perspective.

REYEZ: We had so much help, especially at the George R. Brown, given the circumstances - everybody who was volunteering. I'm just grateful to see that everybody really cares and is coming together as a city to rebuild. At the end of the day, we were all in the same boat.

SHAPIRO: He doesn't know whether he and his family can still live in his damaged apartment, but he says they want to stay in Houston.

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