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Houston floods: state of emergency declared as more rain expected Texas flooding kills at least five people as state braces for more severe weather
(about 1 hour later)
The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has declared a state of emergency in and around Houston after unprecedented flooding inundated homes, closed major highways and left at least five people dead in America’s fourth-largest city. Houston braced for the threat of more severe weather on Tuesday, a day after a deluge killed at least five people and left more than a thousand homes flooded.
“This is the most I have ever seen in the state of Texas,” said Abbott as he declared a state of disaster in nine Texas counties. He said the flooding risks would remain for several days. Harris County’s emergency management office said that there were 1,200 high water rescues on Monday as a slow-moving storm system dumped more than a foot of rain on many parts of the US’s fourth-largest city.
Houston’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, said: “I regret anyone whose home is flooded again. There’s nothing I can say that’s going to ease your frustration. We certainly can’t control the weather. The National Weather Service extended a flash flood watch to 7am CT on Wednesday and warned of a “favorable weather pattern that will support periods of rain/storms through Thursday” and could bring an additional two-four inches of rain on ground that is already saturated, though conditions made a confident forecast impossible.
“A lot of rain coming in a very short period of time, there’s nothing you can do.” Bayous burst their banks and many roads were impassable, including sections of major freeways. Texas governor Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster in nine counties. The Harris County flood control district said in a statement that 240bn gallons of rainwater fell over the county in less than 24 hours, causing 13 bayous and creeks to flood, and that residents in 110 subdivisions reported house flooding.
Heavy flooding has become nearly an annual event in the near sea-level city, where experts have long warned of the potential for disaster. Public transport resumed service on Tuesday and Sylvester Turner, Houston’s mayor, said the city was returning to normal operations. Still, some main roads and many school districts remained closed and about 10,000 households were without power, down from a peak of 123,000. The Red Cross opened 12 shelters in the region. Officials cautioned that floodwaters could contain snakes, dangerous insects, germs and pollution.
Flash flooding and more rain were possible on Tuesday, a day after water levels approached 50cm (20in) in some areas. Scores of subdivisions flooded, schools were closed, and power was knocked out to thousands of residents who were urged to shelter in their homes.
The Harris county chief administrator, Judge Ed Emmett, said two bodies were found in a vehicle that had been seen on traffic cameras driving around barricades and unsuccessfully attempting to navigate a flooded underpass.The Harris county chief administrator, Judge Ed Emmett, said two bodies were found in a vehicle that had been seen on traffic cameras driving around barricades and unsuccessfully attempting to navigate a flooded underpass.
Another person, believed to be a contractor with the city’s airport system, was found in a submerged vehicle not far from the airport. A fourth person, a truck driver, was found dead in his cab after encountering high water on a freeway service road. Another person, believed to be a contractor with the city’s airport system, was found in a submerged vehicle. A fourth person, a truck driver, was found dead in his cab after encountering high water on a freeway service road.
In nearby Waller county, a man was found in a submerged vehicle, which investigators believed was caught in rushing water, the Houston Chronicle reported. In nearby Waller County, a man was found in a submerged vehicle which investigators believed was caught in rushing water, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Several shelters were set up for people forced out of their homes. At least 1,000 people taken from apartment complexes in the north of the city and moved to a shopping mall were being ferried by bus to a shelter, Turner said. More than 70 horses were reportedly rescued after being trapped in floodwater at a stables near a creek.
Thousands of homes outside Houston were flooded, many for the first time, with at least 450 rescues being undertaken. The National Weather Service said that 9.92in of rain fell at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the second highest one-day tally on record. Areas to the west and northwest of the city saw the most rainfall, with 14-17in in some places between Sunday evening and Monday morning. The airport said on Monday that about 800 flights were cancelled and more than 150 delayed.
Experts say that, location aside, Houston’s “gumbo” soft soil, fast-growing population and consequent building boom make it vulnerable to high waters. With its low-lying Gulf Coast location, soft soil and fast-growing urban sprawl, reducing the natural capacity of the land to absorb rainwater, Houston is no stranger to flooding. Last year, Sam Brody, director of Texas A&M University’s Center for Texas Beaches and Shores, called it the “number one city in America to be injured and die in a flood”.
Still, this was described as the worst flood event since Tropical Storm Allison hit southeast Texas in 2001, killing 22 people in Harris County alone. Parts of Texas and Oklahoma were badly hit by storms and floods last Memorial Day weekend that killed at least 31 people and caused an estimated $45m of damage in Houston, affecting about 1,500 homes in Harris County.
Some of the housing developments included adequate green space for water runoff, but not all, said Philip Bedient, an engineering professor at Rice University.Some of the housing developments included adequate green space for water runoff, but not all, said Philip Bedient, an engineering professor at Rice University.
“Could we have engineered our way out of this?” Bedient said. “Only if we started talking about alterations 35 or 40 years ago.”“Could we have engineered our way out of this?” Bedient said. “Only if we started talking about alterations 35 or 40 years ago.”
He said improving the monitoring of specific watersheds and flood-prone areas might give residents the extra time needed to take protective measures and possibly save lives.He said improving the monitoring of specific watersheds and flood-prone areas might give residents the extra time needed to take protective measures and possibly save lives.
“We can’t solve this flood problem in Houston. All we can do is a better job warning.”“We can’t solve this flood problem in Houston. All we can do is a better job warning.”