Houston, We Have a Flooding Problem: Hundreds Rescued as Water Rises
Overview
Houston, Texas, has been hit by heavy rains that have caused flooding in many neighbourhoods. More than 400 people have been rescued from their homes, rooftops and roads that have been engulfed in murky water. Floodwaters have inundated a wide region from Houston to rural East Texas, where game wardens rode airboats through waist-high waters rescuing both people and pets who did not evacuate in time. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch through Sunday afternoon as forecasters predict additional rainfall Saturday night to the soaked region and the likelihood of major flooding.
Residents in low-lying areas have been asked to evacuate as Friday’s fierce storms forced numerous high-water rescues, including some from the rooftops of flooded homes. Up to 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) of additional rain is expected with up to 5 inches (12.70 centimeters) more possible in isolated areas.
Houston is one of the most flood-prone metro areas in the US, and authorities have not reported any deaths or injuries. The city of more than 2 million people has long experience dealing with devastating weather. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 dumped historic rainfall on the area, flooding thousands of homes and resulting in more than 60,000 rescues by government rescue personnel across Harris County.
Of particular concern is an area along the San Jacinto River in the northeastern part of Harris County, which is expected to continue rising as more rain falls and officials release extra water from an already full reservoir. Most of Houston’s city limits were not heavily impacted by the weather, but officials said the area had about four months of rain in about a week’s time.
The greater Houston area covers about 10,000 square miles (about 25,900 square kilometres) a footprint slightly bigger than New Jersey. It is crisscrossed by about 1,700 miles (2,736 kilometres) of channels, creeks and bayous that drain into the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles (about 80 kilometres) to the southeast from downtown. The city’s system of bayous and reservoirs was built to drain heavy rains. But engineering initially designed nearly 100 years ago has struggled to keep up with the city’s growth and bigger storms.
For weeks, drenching rains in Texas and parts of Louisiana have filled reservoirs and saturated the ground. Floodwaters partially submerged cars and roads this week across parts of southeastern Texas, north of Houston, where high waters reached the roofs of some homes. The ongoing rain has left parts of Texas drenched, with residents trapped.
The situation is constantly evolving, and the National Weather Service continues to monitor the region’s weather patterns.
