HOUSTON – It’s been six long, miserable, days since Rosa Llivina of West University has received any mail from the the U.S. Postal Service, and when she checked her box Thursday night, it was still empty.
She isn’t the only one.
“Nope, I’ve got nothing,” said Christina Montalvo, as she checked her mailbox off of Law Street in West U.
The fact is, while Hurricane Harvey and its unrelenting onslaught of rain not only cut Houstonians off, it cut off the USPS.
Postal workers have been unable to deliver mail in the area since Aug. 26, and only a limited number of post offices are actually open, according to a spokesperson for the postal service.
“I think the last day I got mail it was probably Friday afternoon,” Savannah Williams, of Houston, said.
Williams lives near Braes Bayou and had to get a package out today, so she brought that package to the post office at Weslayan Street near Bissonnet Street, because she wanted to make sure the package gets to her loved ones.
“I came to the post office and it was open. I figured it was the safest way. It’s a direct route and packages will get where they need to get to faster,” Williams said.
If you are trying to ship or receive via FedEx, FedEx deliveries have also been severely impacted.
A company spokesman told Channel 2 Investigates that most FedEx offices in the region remain closed at this time, but the company is working hard to resuming full service.
FedEx issued a statement Thursday evening:
“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey. We are working hard to provide service in accessible areas and have resumed limited operations. We encourage customers to check http://www.fedex.com for updated service information.”
If you are waiting for any kind of U.S. Treasury Department issued check, from Social Security, the Veteran’s Administration, the OPM or the Railroad Retirement Board, the postal service has listed a number of offices where you can go to pick up your check starting Friday, Sept. 1.
We have an official USPS press release and a chart to find the office you need to go to in order to get your check printed below.
Just use your ZIP code to find the appropriate location.
File: USPS list of locations, by ZIP Code, where checks can be picked up
Mail affected by Harvey
Grocery stores, restaurants and other businesses are beginning to re-open as floodwaters recede in some areas. But transportation officials say we can expect big delays on everything from online orders to gas to new cars at local dealerships.
Big tractor-trailers that make daily deliveries can't get through to stores and distribution centers. UPS, Fed-Ex and the U.S. Postal Service have ceased delivery to big portions of Texas. FedEx Express service was temporarily suspended to more than 300 communities in Texas and 16 in Louisiana. You can expect delays on packages and mail until the floodwaters subside.
VIDEO: In wake of storm, expect delays when it comes to deliveries
Transportation Impact
If you think about the larger scale of this, the Houston Ship Channel is closed and other major ports like Texas City, Galveston and Freeport are not allowing vessels in or out. All major rail companies have halted service and transportation companies are not sending their big rigs through Texas areas with flooding to deliver things like groceries and gas. And then, all of those gas pumps that were underwater have to be serviced and cleaned out. You can't just fill them up again. These disruptions are expected to cause gas prices and shipping prices to increase.
Goods made with plastics based on petrochemicals could be in short supply and prices could go up over the next few weeks because suppliers can't get those petrochemicals out of their plants to the manufacturers that need them, USA Today reports.
Car Dealerships
Most of the car dealerships are still closed and many of the cars on lots were flooded, both new and used cars. So flood victims looking for new vehicles may have to wait for manufacturers to ship more in to our area.
Check Your Mail & Deliveries:
If you have questions about mail service, check USPS here.
View the latest updates from FedEx
View the latest updates from UPS
Amazon has temporarily shut down its Houston area facilities.
Check the forecast any time by visiting the weather page of Click2Houston.com or by downloading Frank's forecast app on Apple or Android devices.
