(July 23, 2008)

PORT ISABEL--Hurricane Dolly slammed into the Gulf Coast, just north of South Padre Island, causing millions of dollars in damage. Port Isabel was one of the first towns to feel the power of Dolly and there was a lot devastation in the area.

Hurricane Dolly was the first direct hit over the Rio Grande Valley since Hurricane Gilbert in 1989. 3 News saw the hurricane as it made landfall in Port Isabel.

Dolly came ashore on Wednesday afternoon around 1 pm. It left destruction behind in Port Isabel as a Category Two hurricane and was packing winds at more than 100 miles per hour. Police said about one-third of homes and businesses were damaged.

"While so far, we have reports of power lines down, structural damage in our apartments and buildings and our businesses have sustained damage to their windows,"

Dolly also dumped several of inches of rain in the area, leaving some people homeless. Police also had to rescue 25 people from their homes. 

"I did what I could," Eddie Garza, who was statying at a makeshift shelter at the Port Isabel Police Department. "It started on one side. The other side started collapsing and the other side was collapsing. It was too much."

"I get scared," said Wally Gonzalez, a Port Isabel Police Officer, who helped rescued several families. "It's a real bad feeling. I have never been through one of these as a police officer. It''s nothing to go home and talk about."

While homeowners suffered, there was extensive damage to this small fishing town. Some homeowners regret not getting prepared for Hurricane Dolly.

"It aint worth staying," said Garza. "It ain't worth staying for a 110 mile per  hour winds. It ain't worth it. Risking your life for nothing."

Many debri removal companies and power workers from other parts of Texas are making their way to the hurricane ravaged area to start the clean up process. It's expected it will be a long time before Port Isabel returns back to normal.