Evacuees fill up George R. Brown Convention Center

Tropical Storm Allison forced Ruby Brown out of her Kashmere Gardens apartment in 2001. Seeking higher ground, she spent the night outside her neighborhood library.

Nearly the same exact scenario played out Sunday night for Brown when she, her sister and nephew spent the night at that same library - this time inside - before being transported Monday morning by dump truck and Metro bus to the city's main Red Cross shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Brown and her sister, Willie Eagleton, evacuated Sunday night, grabbing a couple changes of clothes, medication and their purses. They were still wet 30 minutes after they arrived at the shelter Monday.

The water in front of their apartment was chest-high, "like a river," Brown said.

The sisters sat among hundreds of Houston evacuees who had taken shelter in the downtown facility, which was expected to reach its 5,000-person capacity Monday night.

Houstonians evacuated to the shelter faster than expected.

"When we started out we thought demand would only be about 5,000," Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a Monday afternoon news conference at the convention center. He cited the M.O. Campbell Education Center in north Houston, which is housing about 2,000 evacuees, in addition to downtown and other facilities around Houston.

In all, about 8,000 are being housed in shelters.

Turner said efforts had begun to open another shelter. NRG Park was being considered, according to a spokesman.

"The need is tremendous," Turner said, encouraging everyone who needs help to seek it. "I don't care what your language is. I don't care what your nationality is. I don't care what your socioeconomic economic background is. If you're in need of services, please reach out to the city. Don't stay away because you're concerned about your immigration status," he said.

In the main hall housing evacuees, a line for toys, blankets, baby supplies and other items moved slowly Monday while volunteers sorted bags and boxes of donated goods.

Holding her sleepy 4-year-old, Marissa Baldwin waited to pick up another blanket and underwear for her and her daughter.

She and her two children, the other is 11 years old, left their home in the Greater Fifth Ward Sunday.

"I knew the lights were going to go out and the water was rising," Baldwin said. "I just got out."

She said she was "a little frightened" staying in the shelter Sunday night, but added, "I knew I was somewhere safe."

"I have seen a lot of mental illness patients," Baldwin said. "Some people have been talking to themselves and going off."

Hundreds of volunteers have come through the shelter over the past two days, offering to help collect donations, sort clothes and sign in evacuees. Some come in shivering - tiny babies, elderly family members and some disabled.

Dr. David Persse, the city's public health authority, said medical officials are building "something like an urgent care center."

The city, however, said it needs more volunteers who have experience working with mental-health patients.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who visited the shelter Monday, said he had spoken to President Trump about the disaster and the federal government has committed to help Texas. He said cabinet secretaries have asked him, "What does the state need. We're all in."