Texas – Flash Flood Emergency in Houston After 12 Inches of Rain in 24 Hours

by in News, USA

A Flash Flood Emergency has been issued by the National Weather Service for the Houston Metro area after torrential rain hammered parts of the city over the last 24 hours. The emergency will remain in effect until at least 1pm local time today.

Heavy rain is also falling in other areas of Texas and flash flood watches are in place over the next 12 to 24 hours for Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Tyler-Longview and Texarkana, but Houston has been hardest hit.

City of Houston’s Office of Emergency Management said:

“Flash flooding is already occurring. This is a very dangerous situation.”

Over 12 inches of rain in 24 hours has been recorded in at least 6 different locations around Houston since yesterday, 17 April. National Weather Service say that flooding has been reported in over 70 locations in the Houston Metro area.

Overflowing Bayous

The City of Houston’s Office of Emergency Management said via Twitter

“Almost all of our Bayous are out of their banks somewhere…”

NWS service report that several rivers in South East Texas are at major flood stage at 5 locations including Little River near Rockdale, Cypress Creek near Hockley and Westfield, White Oak Bayou at Houston, Peech Creek near Splendora and West Fork San Jacinto River near Humble.

Flood Rescues

Emergency teams have carried out over 600 water rescue responses and 115 high water rescues in the last 24 hours. Houston Fire Department say that many of the problems have been in the north of the city. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said:

“This is a dangerous situation and I do not want our employees trying to get to work. All Houstonians need to stay off the roads.  Do not go out until conditions improve”.

Several shelters have been opened for those displaced by the floods.

City at a Standstill

Around 45,000 people are without power in the City of Houston. Bus and rail services have been suspended and schools closed.

Mayor Sylvester Turner has cancelled his State of the City that was scheduled for today and has instructed all non-essential City employees to stay home.  In addition, municipal courts have also been closed.

Around 200 flights have been cancelled from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. The heavy rain has flooded roads near the airport, hindering access.

For emergency information for the Houston metro area, see City of Houston Emergency Information here or via Twitter here.

Heights Blvd bridge south of I-10 closes as a swollen White Oak Bayou. Photo: Elliot Blackburn ( https://www.flickr.com/photos/epburn/) under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/
Heights Blvd bridge south of I-10 closes as a swollen White Oak Bayou. Photo: Elliot Blackburn under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Flooded roads in Houston, 18 April 2016. Photo: Elliot Blackburn ( https://www.flickr.com/photos/epburn/) under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/
Flooded roads in Houston, 18 April 2016. Photo: Elliot Blackburn under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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