At least 224 people have been rescued from homes and vehicles in Harris County, Texas, after days of heavy rain caused rivers to overflow and flood homes. Thankfully, no deaths or serious injuries have been reported.
The situation is particularly dire in areas north of Houston, where some communities have received nearly two months’ worth of rain in a short period. This deluge has left hundreds of homes flooded and forced evacuations.
Here’s a breakdown of the situation in several counties:
- San Jacinto County: Officials report that floodwaters have impacted 100-200 homes, and mandatory evacuations are in place. Emergency management officials say the flooding is “85% worse than Hurricane Harvey.”
- Walker County: Authorities are calling the floods historic, surpassing the water levels experienced during Hurricane Harvey. Two communities along the Trinity River are underwater and accessible only by high-water vehicles. At least 42 high-water rescues have been conducted in the county.
- Polk County: A mandatory evacuation order remains in effect for low-lying areas as additional rain is expected. Roughly 700 homes have been flooded, and 1,000 are in a mandatory evacuation zone.
The forecast predicts more rain for the weekend, with the heaviest downpours expected in central Texas, upstream from Houston. This raises concerns of further flooding in areas already saturated.
The relentless rain follows a series of brutal weather events that have pummeled Texas since April, including tornadoes and hail.
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