Houston Mail Deliveries to Resume

The U.S. Postal Service said on Saturday that it would resume delivery and retail operations wherever possible in Houston today, following the evacuation of large portions of the city and the onshore arrival of Hurricane Rita over the weekend.

On Friday, mail destined for Houston and other areas in the anticipated path of the hurricane had been held at its point of origin to minimize loss or storm damage. Mail held at facilities expected to be in danger of flooding was moved to higher ground, along with postal vehicles and equipment. Postal operations in areas under mandatory evacuation orders were suspended. But on Saturday, when it became apparent that the storm would largely pass by Houston, the USPS said it would resume operations in ZIP code areas 770, 772, 773, 774, and 775, including most areas of Houston, starting today. Officials in Harris County, which includes Houston, designated postal employees as “essential government personnel,” allowing them to re-enter the area immediately.

Special postal operations at the Houston Astrodome and the George R. Brown Convention Center are set to resume on September 28.

The USPS said it was working on efforts to re-establish mail operations in ZIP code areas 776, 777 and 778, which include Beaumont TX and Port Arthur TX, areas that experienced more flooding and wind damage from Hurricane Rita.

“Our first priority is the safety of our employees and customers, and we’re moving quickly to provide delivery and retail service across the greater Houston area on Monday,” said Cliff Rucker, USPS district manager for Houston.