Galveston Turtle Barn Survives Hurricane

News from Galveston, TX: The sea turtle facility in Galveston, TX, operated by National Marine Fisheries Service survived the onslaught of Hurricane Ike. While much of Galveston was wiped out by wind, rain and waves, the “Turtle Barn” that houses 200 loggerheads and a few Kemp’s ridleys survived the storm. It is located about a block behind the seawall.
“It was a good thing, as that’s what protected them,” said Carole Allen in Houston, Gulf of Mexico Director of Sea Turtle Restoration Project.
There have been no reports of sea turtles stranded or otherwise harmed by Hurricane Ike in the Galveston area as of Sept. 18, 2008. The nesting season is over and the South Texas Coast and Padre Island National Seashore were not hit by the hurricane.
Carole’s own home in Houston was not damaged, but a tree took down power lines in her backyard, which she describes as a “jungle.” She said that she as well as a million and a half other people are without power in Houston at least through the weekend. Fortunately, one of Carole’s neighbors has been helping out by lending generators to her and others for a few hours a day.
“The neighbors have been wonderful,” she said.
Elsewhere in the city, the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and FEMA have set up centers where Texans can fill up on ice, water and food.