Local business damaged by storm, community steps in to help

PALMVIEW, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A metal storage facility was damaged in Palmview following Monday night's rain showers and left many baffled.

Rocio Cid is the owner of La Michoacana Paleteria y Neveria and describes how terrified she was inside the snack bar adjacent to the building that was destroyed and watched in horror with her son as the wind blew everything away.

“Like in a movie, we were just watching all the stuff just flying," Cid said.

First, they say debris was flying around and then the building came down. Thankfully, nobody was hurt.

“I am a faith woman and the first thing my husband told me was are you say, is David, my son who was working with me, safe? And, I said yes, thank god, and he said that is enough," Cid said.

The National Weather Service confirmed the weather event but said there were no significant winds in the storm.

City of Palmview Spokeswoman Irma Garza says no other damages were reported Monday evening other than some power outages.

Garza said the building was not in good enough shape to withstand the 50-mile-per-hour winds.

City of Palmview Fire Chief Jerry Alaniz says people should be ready for any storms and especially now that we are in hurricane season.

“A hurricane is a big threat, but we have time to prepare for that," Alaniz said. "The things that you don't, that are a really big threat, and that are those storms that you don't have time to prepare for because those are things that happened, right, from one hour to the next hour.”

Due to the significant damage tropical weather can cause, Alaniz says it is important to prepare now, especially when it comes to having your home insured.

That is something Cid agrees with.

"This is maybe a warning that we prepare for things that sometimes we don’t think could happen but it happens," the business owner said.

For now, other local businesses in the area have stepped in to help Cid in her time of need.

Laura Hernandez, owner of Inferno Fitness is hosting a Zumbathon at 10 a.m. on June 22 at her studio located on 2901 Diamond Ave Suite D in Mission.

“As a small business owner myself, I would not want to be in that position to where we have to rebuild and start all over again because it takes us all a very long time to gain our clientele," Hernandez said.