Heavy rain, rising rivers pose dual threat to Southeast Texas Friday

[윤길순 (Texas)]

Heavy rain, rising rivers pose dual threat to Southeast Texas Friday as flooding warnings persists

Residents in several counties, including some parts of Harris County, were told to evacuate.

BY EMILY FOXHALL

MAY 3, 20244 HOURS AGO

Flood is seen on FM 227 near Weches in Houston County. Credit: TxDOT Lufkin social media

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HOUSTON — Heavy rains and rising rivers continued to endanger much of Southeast Texas Friday.

Thousands of Texans were already displaced or under evacuation orders in places such as Polk, Montgomery and Harris counties. Others were without electricity. Schools and businesses were closed as roads and highways — especially in rural East Texas — were impassable. Emergency officials were comparing the amount of water inundating this region to levels seen during Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in Texas in 2017.

No fatalities were reported as of late Thursday.

Forecasters expected to see more rainfall on Friday after at least a week of off-and-on rain.

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Numerous Southeast Texas counties remained under a Flood Watch — meaning flooding was possible — through Friday evening. At best, the rainfall would slow exiting floodwater, the weather service said. At worst, it would cause more flooding.

The Trinity River and the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto River were also dangerously on the rise and would be for at least a day more as the accumulating rainfall drained toward the Gulf.

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The Trinity River was meanwhile causing major problems in Polk and Liberty Counties.

“We’re looking at significant flooding on the rivers,” Lindner said. “This is significantly more serious than what we were dealing with earlier this week.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.