Update: June 29, 11 a.m.

According to an update from the American Red Cross, all clients transitioning from the Amarillo flood shelter into permanent housing have been assisted by the organization. With all transitioning clients sent to their next steps, the shelter has been closed.

Original Story:

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — The American Red Cross shelter for flooding victims remained open at the Amarillo Civic Center on Friday.

Betsy Cornette, the disaster program manager serving the Panhandle Plains for the American Red Cross, said on Friday afternoon they had between 60 and 70 people at the shelter, which is down from approximately 80 on Thursday afternoon.

“Here at this shelter, we’re providing housing and food and a safe place to be,” said Cornette. “We have their animals that animal management is taking care of and the owners can, you know, go over and access them anytime and take for a walk and whatever they want to do.”

Cornette also said they have received some clothing donations to help meet the needs of those displaced by flooding.

“The donation site has been established down at the Downtown Women’s Center,” she said. “They’ll take the donations and then they give a voucher to the clients here that they can go shop and find what they really need and things.”

According to Cornette, the shelter at the Civic Center will remain open as long as there is a need.

“At this point that need has not dropped off and we’re starting to kind of see everybody that’s been identified that was a victim. So right now we’re kind of at a plateau but we’re seeing still a couple of people come in so we’re gonna be here as long as we need to be here,” Cornette continued.

Tanya Webb, another disaster program manager at the American Red Cross, said they are not hearing frustration from clients. Instead, she said most of them are asking for updated information.

“How long is always a big question,” said Webb. “It’s really too soon in the operation to make that determination. I would suspect probably a week, you know, and some may not be able to return at all. It’s really hard to say right now.”

Alisha Osburn lives in the Oakridge Apartments behind Market Street on Georgia St. She was evacuated by the National Guard around 4 a.m. on Thursday morning after more rainfall caused floodwaters to enter her apartment.

“It took everything and wiped everything. I’m talking water waist deep in these apartments,” Osburn said. “It’s everything—jobs—I work at Malcolm’s. It’s underwater. Those businesses are losing revenue. The people are losing their paychecks. It’s very hard right now.”

Osburn said she is staying at the shelter with her two teenage sons while they wait for answers.

When asked about her evacuation experience, she said: “You should be happy because you’re going to safety but all you can think is everything that you worked for your whole life, you are sailing away from and you’re not getting it back. It’s kind of hard, pictures of my kids growing up, grandparents, family members that are gone and those are irreplaceable.”

Another evacuee, Doris Eddington, said she hopes to be able to move to a different apartment that does not flood.

“You know, you can’t hardly believe something like this would happen to you where you live,” Eddington said.

According to Cornette, they have gotten many people registered and they are sending shuttles to Randall County Fire Station One, where there are more resources than they can provide at the Civic Center shelter.

“We have 20 or 30 agencies down at Randall County Fire and they range from Texas Department of Emergency Management to Salvation Army to some of the local 501s that are out there with clothing and animal pet care and things like that,” said Cornette.