Heavy rainfall was observed in some areas of eastern Texas, with up to in Port Arthur. There, numerous homes were flooded with of water, which included damage to furnishings, electric motors and automobiles. In downtown Galveston, a number of streets were inundated with rainwater, though flooding damage was relatively minor. Two children's polio hospitals suffered leaking roofs and water damage, forcing patients to be evacuated by staff and University of Texas Medical Branch students. About 90 percent of all house and buildings in Texas City suffered either water damage or complete destruction, including plant sites producing war materials. However, they were discouraged from going to shelters due to a polio epidemic there. In Galveston Bay, wind-driven waves flooded the western and southern shores. However, northerly winds across the bay resulted in tides being extremely low. On Galveston Island, a storm surge of was observed. Offshore, the United States Army Corps of Engineers’s hopper dredge, "Galveston", broke up after being smashed against the north jetty, causing 11 fatalities. The tug "Titan" began sinking offshore Port Arthur. Three members of the crew drowned after attempting to board a rubber raft, while another person died before the remainder of the crew reached the shore. Overall, the storm killed 19 people and caused $17 million (1943 USD) in damage to the Houston area.