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| (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP) |
NEWSLINE PAPER,- As the area was hammered by huge rainfall, neighborhoods in and around Houston were completely flooded, necessitating dramatic rescue operations. Authorities started high-water rescues to evacuate hundreds of people stuck in flooded homes, rooftops, and highways after the Friday and Saturday deluge.
The constant rain caused a flood watch, which was in place until Sunday afternoon when meteorologists warned that more rain would worsen the already severe situation. Major flooding is more likely if another one to three inches of rain fall on the saturated area, according to forecasts.
The storms of Friday caused mayhem all across the area, and emergency personnel had to do several high-water rescues, including risky rooftop evacuations. The problem was posing an immediate threat to the people living in low-lying areas, so authorities issued urgent evacuation orders as the waves rose.
Top elected official in Harris County, Judge Lina Hidalgo, emphasized the gravity of the situation by calling the impending threat "catastrophic." Residents received urgent warnings as schools closed and main roadways were closed because of the rising floodwaters.
The unrelenting deluge topped after weeks of rain that had already soaked the land and filled reservoirs in Texas and portions of Louisiana. Especially in southeast Texas, north of Houston, the storms left homes partially submerged, roads impassable, and cars submerged.
Living in rural areas like Shepherd meant a dangerous evacuation procedure as floodwaters rose. Gilroy Fernandes related the harrowing moments he and his wife had to flee their Trinity River house, only to find themselves in much more peril when water levels rose over night.
Because of how big the accident was, emergency personnel had to work quickly to save many people from the water in Harris, Montgomery, and Polk counties. The magnitude of the situation was demonstrated by the 108 animals and over 196 persons that were saved in Harris County alone.
With hundreds of rescues from cars and homes, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough called the situation extraordinary. Comparably, Polk County officials reported more over 100 water rescues as Trinity River homes flooded.
Residents living along the banks of Harris County's San Jacinto River were ordered to evacuate as authorities warned of rising water levels. Further rainfall and more reservoir releases only served to heighten concerns of more flooding.
While most of Houston was spared from the flooding, areas like Kingwood suffered the most, with record-breaking rainfall. With further effects on the town expected, Mayor John Whitmire warned of increasing flooding from the San Jacinto River.
The American Red Cross helped individuals in need and shelters were set up all throughout the area to house displaced people. Communities prepared for the difficult road to recovery following the catastrophe as emergency response teams worked nonstop to save stranded people and lessen the effects of the flooding.
The experience brought home to Houston and the surrounding areas' innate susceptibility to severe weather, which prompted further demands for better infrastructure and disaster preparedness plans. Amid the mayhem and devastation, the tenacity of the locals comes through as they deal with the aftermath of yet another catastrophic flood.
(Newsline Paper Teams)