Rockport devastated after direct hit from Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey tore through Texas coastal cities leaving destruction everywhere in its wake.

The storm made landfall late Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane, making it the largest hurricane to hit Texas in more than 50 years.

One town especially hard hit was Rockport where one death has been confirmed by the County Judge.

"This is the most devastating thing I've seen in all my life," said Henry Gerhart who has lived in Rockport for more than ten years.

Hurricane Harvey ripped through Rockport with a vengeance Friday night.

"For two hours it sounded like a freight train was coming through the backyard," Gerhart said.

The monster storm packed a punch with wind speeds upwards of 130 miles per hour.

"It was something else. The noise, with the wind, it was really scary," said Pamela Frisby who rode out the storm with her family.

"They were in a closet huddled down praying," Gerhart said referring to his wife and daughter.

The eye of the hurricane moved directly over Rockport giving people in the small city a brief break before picking up speed all over again.

"It stopped, everything stopped. It was dead still for about two hours, it was nothing, I thought, 'God, it's the end,' and it wasn't. It started up again just before 12," said Diana Murphy who was cleaning up debris around her home Saturday.

The storm left destruction at every turn throughout the coastal community, tearing down homes, twisting communication towers and snapping centuries old oak trees in half.

"Mother Nature is just incredible, too much power," Gerhart said.

Law enforcement agencies from all over the state are already assisting with search and rescue efforts.

Unfortunately, Harvey left a maze of trees, debris and power lines on city streets making a tough job for first responders that much more difficult.

"Hopefully we'll be okay till we get some relief," said Frisby.

There is currently no power or phone service in Rockport.

Because of the number of utility poles bent and broken, it will likely stay that way for at least a week, but crews are traveling from all over the state to help restore those services more quickly.