Rio Grande City residents still cleaning up nearly a week after destructive hailstorm
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Rio Grande City residents are still cleaning up nearly a week after a storm tore through the area.
Hail and wind caused much of the destruction. David Martinez Jr. said the hail was massive and punched holes through his walls.
"It was extremely big hail, and it was crazy. When we came outside, we saw the holes in our walls," Martinez said. "It really felt like the house was getting shot at."
The damage hit his walls and roof. One of his biggest concerns is the windows.
Repairing the windows alone will cost his family an estimated $1,000. They're using their homeowners insurance for the first time.
Martinez said the process is challenging, but he's happy the insurance is helping pay for the cost of damages.
"This is the first time that we have had to file with the insurance in the 15-plus years that we've lived here," Martinez said. "We have taken plenty of pictures and videos."
Safeguard Insurance agent Abraham Padron said families in Starr County should look for damages now, especially if they plan to use their homeowners insurance.
Look for water leaks in shingles and sockets in your home. While taking pictures of the damages, also look for documents that prove the storm caused the damage.
Padron recommends you get your own estimates for repairs. In some cases, an insurance company may cost more.
Rio Grande City public works employees have spent the week clearing streets of debris and repairing more than 25 street signs.
"If you can see this pile of brush, you can say where we have the other place is like 20 times bigger than this," Rio Grande City Public Works Director Hector Barrera said.
Rio Grande City officials say they've received almost 600 cases of damage so far. They believe it will take city crews the entire month to clean up the entire city.
For some families, the cleanup process might take even longer.
"But even though we are living through it, we're still gonna keep pushing through," Martinez said.
Watch the video above for the full story.
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