More than 60 campers evacuated from Cleveland RV park as waters from nearby San Jacinto River rise

CLEVELAND, Texas – More than 60 people were evacuated from an RV park in Cleveland as waters from the nearby East Fork of the San Jacinto River began to rise.

As the water began to creep into the East Fork RV Resort off U.S. 59, the resort decided to ask all of their residents to unhook their campers and move to higher ground.

Miller Bennett, General Manager for the East Fork RV Resort, made the decision to announce a mandatory evacuation of the resort before the water got too high Thursday.

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“We shut off the power, protect our people because we got transformers in the ground. We didn’t want anybody to get electrocuted or anything,” he said. “I think we made the right decision on asking people to leave until we get it cleaned up.”

Bennett said the outpouring from the community has been extremely helpful and a local VFW is helping those that were displaced.

“The VFW offered to park them there and put their electricity and everything at the VFW and also, the local park here in town. And, I mean, the outpouring here has been awesome,” he said.

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Corporal Randall Walter with the Liberty County Precinct 6 Constable’s Office said they were out assisting in moving the campers and RVs and tow companies were also helping out.

“Saddle Creek Towing has been out here as well as Melvin’s Towing and a few other people. Freddy’s Garage that works over here, he’s come out and also offered assistance as well as the Cleveland Fire Department,” Walter said.

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There was no official evacuation order issued by the town or county, so the mass exodus of people caught some residents by surprise.

“We had no idea it was being evacuated. I happened to be scrolling Facebook and saw that constables were out here doing mandatory evacuations,” said one resident. “It’s a little stressful. Yeah, it was stressful.”

Bennett said he hopes to be able to have people return to the park in about a week when the water subsides.

“We’re Texans. You know, this happens. It’s where you live,” said another of the RV park’s residents.

KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding will have more than this story at 10.