HARLINGEN, Texas — Residents across south Texas slogged through knee-deep muddy waters, tiptoed around downed power lines and dug through debris Thursday, but were thankful that Hurricane Dolly didn't pack the wallop they had feared.
Downed power lines remained the greatest danger, and South Texas officials urged people to stay home one more day "unless it's life or death.” One person in Matamoros, Mexico, died from electrocution after walking past a power line on the ground.
Residents picked up the pieces of their houses and businesses blown apart by the storm. But as dry skies spread over the region, they were struck by relief that the storm didn't take many lives. Even so, there will be substantial cleanup.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who flew over the area Thursday, noted possible flooding over the next five days.
On Thursday, forecasters downgraded Dolly to a tropical depression. The storm was expected to break up by today.
•Disaster aid: President Bush declared 15 counties in South Texas a disaster area to release federal funding to them, and insurance estimators put the losses at $750 million.
•Cotton crops ruined: The storm doomed much of the cotton crop in Texas' Rio Grande Valley. About 92,000 acres of cotton in the region was awaiting harvest but the storm made bolls unsalvageable, Texas Agri Life Extension agent Rod Santa Ana said.
•Thursday's damage: A remnant on Thursday blew several roofs off houses and businesses on San Antonio's south side.
•Power outages: Steve McCraw, Texas' homeland security director, said more than a quarter-million people in the region were still without power late Thursday.
On South Padre Island power could be out for another day, said town spokeswoman Melissa Zamora. A 9 p.m. curfew was set for the second night in a row.
•What's next? The busiest part of the Atlantic hurricane season is usually in August and September. So far this year, there have been four named storms, two of which became hurricanes. Forecasters predict 12 to 16 named storms and six to nine hurricanes this season.
