Hurricane Humberto hits Texas, Louisiana; six churches damaged

Published: 2007-09-14

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Hurricane Humberto, which began as a tropical storm, made landfall in Texas and Louisiana Sept. 13. The storm's high winds knocked down trees and power lines in the area and caused minor destruction, including water damage and the loss of shingles in six churches in the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas. The storm intensified when it hit the eastern tip of Texas with sustained winds of up to 80 mph and heavy rains before weakening and going through Louisiana. It was the first hurricane to make landfall on the Gulf Coast since Katrina and Rita two years ago. Karen Gilman, editor of the East Texas Catholic, Beaumont's diocesan newspaper, said she went to sleep the night of Sept. 12 thinking there was no imminent danger of a hurricane, but then saw on the news in the middle of the night that the storm had intensified. That was just before the power went out in her home, as it did for most of the Beaumont area. The damage at local churches was primarily from lost shingles or water damage caused by water leaking under doors or through windows.

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