Were mandatory evacuations necessary along Texas Coast?

HOUSTON - For many Texans living along the coast, they feel the mandatory evacuation orders were necessary. 

Mark Hessler, who is originally from Louisiana, has lived through major hurricanes like Katrina and Harvey. 

“This was bringing back nightmares. I got that same butterfly feeling in my stomach when I looked at the radar,” says Hessler. 

As preparation for Hurricane Laura, mayors along the Texas Gulf Coast either put into place a mandatory or voluntary evacuation order. 

RELATED: Once a Category 4 hurricane, Laura moves over Arkansas as tropical depression

Kemah’s Mayor Teri Gale ordered a mandatory evacuation notice. But only about five miles away in Seabrook, Mayor Thom Kolupski felt a voluntary evacuation order was enough. 

Thankfully, damage in the area is next to none. 

Residents who did evacuate say the orders were not an overreaction. 

“It was a good call. We missed disaster by about 60 miles. If it would have come this way, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott spent the day surveying damage in Southeast Texas Thursday. He says he has spoken to leaders from cities along the coast that were anticipated to be greatly impacted by Hurricane Laura. 

Abbott says most of the cities said Texas dodged a bullet. 

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For Hessler, who has seen and experienced how drastic and devastating a hurricane can be, his thoughts go out to our neighbors to our east. 

“When Harvey came through a few years back.. you get survivor guilt. You feel so bad for those people because you know what they’re going through.” 

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Abbott says about 85,000 Texans were provided shelter during Hurricane Laura.