No one knew when Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas on Aug. 25 as a category 4 hurricane that it would be one of the most devastating hurricanes to make landfall in the United States. Texans along the Gulf Coast saw cities demolished, peak wind gusts as high as 130 mph, unprecedented rainfall of more than 50 inches that caused catastrophic flooding in areas, the death of 88 Texans, displacement of thousands of residents and more than $200 million dollars in agricultural losses.
Rancher Stephen Diebel, of Diebel Cattle Company, rode out Hurricane Harvey at his family’s century-old ranch in Victoria. He was unsure what devastation the daylight hours would reveal after listening to howling winds and pounding rain throughout the night. He knew it was one of the worst hurricanes he had been through during his time on the ranch. Read more…