As much as 18 inches (45 cm) fell in some areas of Harris County, which contains Houston, and the weather service said heaviest daily rain records were set on Monday at the two main airports in the city.
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Harris County Judge Ed Emmett says he’s hopeful the worst is over for the flood-ravaged area that includes Houston and says the focus should move to getting the recovery right and providing people with the help they need as soon as possible.
“Although the causes and drivers of flooding were different, this is the largest flood event Houston has experienced since Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, which dumped more than 35 inches (890 millimetres) in rain in parts of the area”, RMS’s Waters stated. At least four of the area’s school districts canceled classes because of concerns about flooded roads and power outages.
“No matter what drainage system you build, anything will struggle with that kind volume in that short a time”, he said.
The flood-devastated Houston area could soon get a break from the rain after a deluge blamed for eight deaths.
The Montgomery County Constable’s Office says the juveniles were rescued Tuesday night after being reported missing on Caney (KAY’-nee) Creek, near New Caney. The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning until 11:55pm tomorrow. Among the districts that had announced closures by early Tuesday: Houston, Fort Bend, Katy, Conroe, Alief, Aldine, Cypress-Fairbanks, Lamar, Montgomery, Spring, Spring Branch, Stafford and Tomball. Officials in Harris County have declared a disaster area and estimate at least 1,000 homes have already been flooded.
“The water’s coming up a little faster than we expected”, he said.
Tuesday’s rain was not as widespread as previously forecast, according to KHOU-TV meteorologist Chita Johnson.
“Most of the horses that were evacuated to the south got to a neighboring farm safely”, she said. The National Weather Service noted that all it will take to aggravate the flooded roadways or bayous – almost all of which had jumped their banks yesterday – is just one or two more inches of rain.
A statement from Atria, released to KTRK-TV, says the safety and well-being of residents and employees is the highest priority.
Officials are forecasting more rain and thunderstorms on Thursday, and warning of more floods from central Texas and into large parts of Louisiana and southern Oklahoma.
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Rainstorms past year over Memorial Day weekend caused major flooding that required authorities to rescue 20 people, a lot of them drivers, from high water.
