Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared
a state of emergency in Houston after record rainfall claimed five lives.
Meteorologists said some 17.6in (44.7cm) of
rain fell on Houston on Monday alone, levels national
officials said were "historic".
Rivers burst their banks in downtown Houston and 1,200 people were rescued
from rising floodwaters.
Close to 70,000 people were left without power in the city, the
fourth-largest in the United States.
At least 1,000 homes have flooded, with the number likely to rise. City
officials have turned a large shopping centre into an evacuation centre.
As well as telling people not to drive
in the fast-flowing waters, city officials warned against allowing children to
play in waters that are likely to contain snakes
and ants.
Among the worst-hit areas is
Greenspoint, a poor, mainly Hispanic district of
more than 112,000 people to the north of the city centre.
Footage broadcast in Texas showed Greenspoint families moving belongings
and children through floodwaters on air beds and inside a refrigerator.
by
Tuesday
"Do not think the city is not seeing you," Mayor Sylvester Turner
told Greenspoint residents in a press conference.
"It's a situation where all throughout the city, and quite frankly all
throughout our region, we're dealing with high water."
At least one of those who died was found in a submerged car, local media
reported.
Close to 70 horses were rescued from a flooded stable before police
officers were able to lead them to safety through floodwaters.
One Houston flood official said waters
recorded in one area were 40ft (12 metres) higher
than the previous record.
The city, on the Gulf of Mexico, is
prone to heavy rains, and has seen a number of major flooding events in the last year alone.
However, this flood is the largest to strike the city since Tropical Storm
Allison in 2001, which led to 23 deaths across the state, the City of Houston
Twitter account said.
Mayor Turner said rains were expected to ease on Tuesday.
0 Comment to "Houston floods: Disaster zone declared after 'historic' rainfall"
Post a Comment