Thousands of Texans are still without power following Nicholas

FREEPORT, Texas - Hurricane Nicholas hit the Freeport/Quintana area as a category 1 hurricane, dumping an average of 6 - 8 inches of rain.

"It was weird because I have a lawn and now I can’t see the lawn." said Freeport resident Emilio Mendoza.

Winds of at least 74 miles an hour uprooted trees. Raul Gonzales told FOX 7 Austin he thought the storm was a "tornado" because it sounded like a "freight train."

Gonzales rode out the storm in his 80-year-old family home. "The walls kept like breathing in and out." he said.

Gonzales has lived in the home since 1974. He has experienced many storms. "This is the way we live. This is hurricane alley."

Hurricane Nicholas was the first storm he rode out alone inside the home. In June his father died at the age of 95. Two weeks later his brother died. "It’s hard. It’s just really hard." he said.

Gonzales said it was "scary" experiencing the storm alone — especially without power. Neighbors and city staff helped him clean up his yard Tuesday.

"Everybody is helping each other."

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MORE HEADLINES: 
Nicholas weakens to tropical depression, dumps rain, brings flood threat to Gulf Coast
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issues disaster declaration for 19 counties
Nicholas downgraded to tropical depression, continuing to move slowly east into Louisiana
NICHOLAS IMAGES: A look at the damage in southeast Texas
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