The sun rose Thursday morning over the flooded city, a vast change from the deluge of rain that swamped the area the day prior.

In the first full day of recovery, Port Arthur was able to fully assess the damages and the skies were blue.

The sun’s arrival was a welcome sight, but somewhat cold comfort, as much of Port Arthur remained underwater after Tropical Storm Harvey dumped rain of near Biblical proportions Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Approximately two-feet of rain fell in a 24-hour period.

The floodwater receded Thursday — in some places quite dramatically from around five feet to one or two feet — but much of the town remained off limits to anything except high-wheeled vehicles or boats.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Port Arthur Mayor Derrick Freeman said. “We’re going to get this city cleaned up and get back on its feet.”

Freeman’s words came as he toured the flooded city operations center.

Seeing the flooded city garbage truck fleet and other public works vehicles in approximately three feet of water that remained, the gravity of what lies ahead for the city was not lost on Freeman.

“It’s going to take a lot of money to bounce back, but we’re definitely going to bounce back,” he said.

The city opened a distribution center for donations being brought to the area at Fourth Street and Houston Avenue.

Donations and shipments of supplies were still being thwarted Thursday by flooded roads leading into the city.

Throughout the day, shelters remained packed as rescue operations continued.

Boat teams worked rescues all day shuttling people to dry ground.

In places where floodwaters had receded entirely, life returned to some degree of normalcy.

The mid-county H.E.B. was open and the parking lot indicated a brisk business.

However, local gas stations proved the most popular stops. Motorists waited in lines two or three cars deep to top off tanks and, inside, customers waited in long lines to purchase ice, water, beer and other sundries. 

The weather forecast for the remainder of the week calls for clear skies, but no clear sign exists of when the floodwaters may fully recede.

The city’s floodwater pumps are working normally and have been working normally, though the city’s spokesperson, Risa Carpenter, said authorities were concerned about a fuel shortage earlier. The mayor said late Thursday, a supply of fuel had been found.

Businesses that could open their doors did so on Thursday.

The Jason’s Deli Drive-Through opened giving residents who could make it there a chance at a normal meal. The Dairy Queen in Groves gave away free food as long as it lasted.

Second Street resident Wade Viltz took the flooding in stride. His main concern was searching for a way to get his phone charged.

“I have two-foot of water in my house,” Viltz said as an airboat and a flat bottom boat drove past on Memorial Boulevard. “It’s just water.”

Many residents ventured out on Thursday to gauge the damage to their property and collect valuables.

Wearing wet shorts and T-shirts, Jared and Charles Clark were walking down Memorial Boulevard with Charles holding a small dog.

“We came to rescue the dog. We’ve walked about a mile or so to get here,” Charles Clark said. “Man, she loves this dog. We had to save her.”

Their grandmother lives in the neighborhood and wasn’t able to bring the dog when she evacuated.

But not all of Memorial Boulevard is passable. Military vehicles were seen later afternoon heading into town to assist.

A stretch of Twin City Highway drained off and traffic was flowing steady by mid-afternoon. Burger King at the corner of 32nd Street and Twin City Highway were open for business with more than a dozen cars lined up and Raceway at the corner of 39th Street and Twin City Highway also had a line of customers.