American Red Cross Meets with Sonora Residents Beginning Wednesday

Update:  Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018 3:30 p.m.  American Red Cross representatives will meet with Sonora residents affected by the flooding beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning in the Civic Center. 

According to the Sonora Flood Relief Facebook page, American Red Cross representatives will meet with residents and assess their needs and then begin the process of recovery.  Red Cross representatives will be at the Civic Center, 1700 N. Crockett from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Friday.  

Also Tuesday, Chris Berry posted on the Facebook page, "We are running out of hotel rooms In Sonora. We are going to need to set up some sort of shelter. We will have portable showers hopefully show up today and will be setup at the civic center. These are private showers and super clean. I do not believe that the county is going to let us use the civic center. If anyone can help us please let us know.
You can contact me @ 325-206-4780."

Original Story

SONORA, TX -- Sutton County Judge Steve Smith and Sonora Mayor Wanda Shurley on Sunday signed a letter requesting Texas Governor Greg Abbott issue a disaster declaration for Sutton County and the City of Sonora following Friday’s devastating flash flooding.

According to the letter, the city of Sonora and Sutton County are facing “significant threats to life, health and property due to heavy rain resulting in severe flooding.”  The letter continues, “The impact of this threat is over 150 homes severely damaged or destroyed. Serious infrastructure damage to include roads and bridges and a number of private businesses damaged.  We have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that an effective response is beyond the capacity of the local jurisdiction to control.”

The letter requests Gov. Abbott declare a state of emergency.  

Joe Spano, municipal manager for Republic Services, was in Sonora with his team during the weekend and all day Monday coordinating collecting the trash at a central pickup location. Republic arrived in Sonora with multiple trucks and roll-off dumpsters to begin hauling the trash away. The City of Sonora's trash pickup is handled by Republic Services. 

There is a Facebook page for Sonora Flood Relief that contains a list of needed items as of Monday morning.  

At the Civic center our needs today are:

• Personal hygiene products
• Tubs/totes
• Cooked sausage
• Precooked casseroles
• Sliced cheese
• Towels
• Can openers
• Fans
• Box cutters
• Saws
• Neosporin
• Work gloves
• Masks
• Formula
• Tupperware
• New comforter sets
• Mops
• Vinegar
• Paper plates
• Plastic cups
• Ptybars
• Saws to cut floors and drywall
• Skillsaws
• Dogfood and catfood
• Hammers
• Rakes

As we reported Saturday, Sonora resident Brady Johnson said funding for the relief is being coordinated through the Sonora Ministerial Alliance through the San Angelo Area Foundation. Johnson said the needs are undetermined right now, but city, county and non-profit organizations will be distributing clothing, blankets, toiletries, and food as needed during the initial stages. The cost of fixing many of the homes and businesses damaged or destroyed by water damage is also an unknown expense. The Alliance is already creating guidelines on how the money will be distributed to provide the greatest impact, Johnson said.

To make a monetary donation for the flood relief effort, click here.