May 5th 2024.
As the rivers in South Texas continue to rise, many homes and businesses are being flooded, causing thousands of people to be displaced. With more rain in the forecast, residents are anxiously looking to the sky for any signs of relief.
According to an official, Harris County has already rescued 224 people from their homes and vehicles, and evacuation orders and flood watches are in place. The state is bracing for even more rainfall, with the Houston area expected to be hit the hardest.
Despite the dire situation, there have been no deaths or serious injuries reported. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo spoke to CNN and shared that they have also rescued 153 pets during the ongoing deluge.
"It's been heartbreaking to see the impact on people's lives, homes, and infrastructure," said Hidalgo. She urged residents to be patient and wait before returning to their homes.
One CNN reporter was taken on a boat ride with rescuers from the Harris County Sheriff's Office and saw firsthand the extent of the flooding. They passed over fences and mailboxes, with stop signs at eye level. In some areas, the water had receded but was still dangerously high.
The rescuers took the reporter to an area where the banks of the San Jacinto River were completely hidden by water. Lt. David Jasper commented, "It's hard to tell where the river ends." The City of Houston has already evacuated many people before the worst of the severe weather hit, according to Brent Taylor, chief communications officer for the Houston Office of Emergency Management.
Taylor shared that they have emergency personnel patrolling neighborhoods near the river where the water levels are dangerously high. They have even received calls for help from people stuck in their homes. The city has deployed high water rescue vehicles, Jet Skis, airboats, and even dump trucks to help move people through the flooded areas.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's West Gulf River Forecast Center has reported nine river gauges in Texas at major flood stage, 22 at moderate flooding, and 35 at minor flooding.
The forecast for the rest of the week shows dry weather and warm temperatures for Houston, with plenty of sunshine to help dry out the region. This comes as a relief after weeks of brutal weather, including tornadoes, hailstorms, and intense rainfall that has caused rivers to rise to levels not seen since Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Mandatory evacuations are in place for several counties in and around the Houston area, with some officials comparing the current flooding to past disasters. San Jacinto County's emergency management coordinator, Emmitt Eldridge, told CNN, "This is 85% worse than Hurricane Harvey." And in Walker County, the deputy emergency management coordinator, Sherri Pegoda, stated that they have already seen more flooding than during Hurricane Harvey.
A mandatory evacuation order is still in place for low-lying areas in Polk County, and homes along rivers in Harris and Montgomery counties are also affected. Governor Greg Abbott has expanded disaster declarations for over a third of Texas counties, with more potentially being added as the storms continue. With more rain in the forecast, the state is bracing for further damage and devastation.
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