Central Texas was slammed by severe storms Thursday night, leaving San Marcos with considerable wreckage to wrangle. According to CBS Austin, the city was hit by high winds and hail, ripping through the infrastructure and causing power outages. CBS Austin reported extensive damage to the First Baptist Church, which saw holes in its exterior, while uprooted trees and broken fences were evident citywide.
As the community reels from the storm's wrath, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra has reportedly called on Governor Abbott to declare a state of emergency. During the tempest, a Baptist church was left with a significant section of its roof torn away, and an indoor waterfall where there once was none. Monica Followell, the church's Missions and Outreach Minister, told CBS Austin, “They came down the stairs and the alarms started going off, the fire alarms. They heard a water, and so they went to go check it out, noticed we’ve got a waterfall where there’s not normally one.”
The deluge also activated the fire suppression system, which buckled under the pressure, unleashing untold gallons of water into the building. Recovery efforts have commenced, with volunteers from the impacted church and others in the area converging to push water out of the building, as seen in footage showing members working amidst blaring fire alarms.
Rush Bost, a local resident, found his car severely damaged; a tree he hoped would protect his vehicle from the hail instead turned traitor when the storm broke its boughs, smashing his car's back window. "Just coming outside and seeing the branch on top of the car was probably the most devastating thing," Bost described to FOX 7 Austin. In the wider area, residents began their own clear-up, wrestling with the aftermath of the uprooted trees and debris.
Pastor Chad Chaddick of the First Baptist Church relayed to FOX 7 Austin the moment the storm struck: "The director came down and heard water running and stuck his head here in the sanctuary, and water was pouring out of the baptistry and off the back wall." The community's show of solidarity, amid the destruction, has been a testament to its spirit. Despite the substantial damage, services are planned to continue. "It's a building, but the church is actually the people," Pastor Chaddick remarked, underscoring the resilience and unity of the congregation in face of adversity.
