Drenching rain alongside the Texas-Mexico border let up Friday, however rescues have been nonetheless ongoing a day after extreme storms trapped residents of their houses, compelled drivers to desert their autos on flooded roads and shut down an airport.
Native officers additionally reported at the very least three folks died from the rainstorm.
Hidalgo County officers stated there was no rapid info on the three deaths, solely that they concerned legislation enforcement. U.S. Customs and Border Safety reported one dying involving U.S. Border Patrol brokers. Brokers approached a car suspected of being concerned in human smuggling that was stopped at a flooded street in Edcouch. Because the brokers approached, the driving force tried to cross the flooded avenue, plunging the car right into a canal.
In Harlingen, officers stated their metropolis acquired a record-breaking 21.5 inches of rain this week, beating its all time two-day whole rainfall document set in 1912. The heaviest rainfall arrived on Thursday inflicting extreme flooding that had authorities rescuing greater than 200 residents, with one other 200 folks nonetheless ready to be rescued.
“This in fact has been a historic and difficult occasion for the town. However Harlingen is robust. We’ve got confronted adversity earlier than and we’ll get by this collectively,” Mayor Norma Sepulveda stated at a Friday afternoon information convention.
In Alamo, the police and hearth division responded to greater than 100 water rescues, together with folks stranded of their autos and trapped of their houses, Hearth Division Chief R.C. Flores stated at a information convention Friday afternoon.
Officers estimated a pair hundred houses in Alamo have been flooded by the heavy rainfall.
Flores stated Alamo was considered one of many cities within the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas that have been flooded and had injury from Thursday’s thunderstorms however that every one have been working to assist their residents.
“I guarantee the general public that we’re assessing the state of affairs on the hour, each hour. We’re consistently going out, not simply in our metropolis,” Flores stated. “Simply because the storm is over, it doesn’t imply that the emergencies and the catastrophe is over. We’re going to proceed to work so long as we have to.”
Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez stated his metropolis was inundated with about 14 inches of rain, prompting 30 to 40 water rescues of stranded motorists and residents trapped of their houses by rising floodwaters.
“It’s a historic rainstorm and it’s affecting all of the Valley, not simply Weslaco. It’s simply a lot water in a brief time frame,” Gonzalez instructed reporters at a information convention.
Tv information footage from flooded communities in South Texas confirmed a number of waterlogged vehicles deserted on streets on Thursday and drivers ready on sidewalks for the floodwaters to recede.
Between 6 inches and 12 inches of rain fell in lots of elements of South Texas up to now 24 hours, in accordance with the Nationwide Climate Service.In neighboring Cameron County, officers requested Gov. Greg Abbott to declare a catastrophe for the county after greater than 17 inches of rain precipitated vital flooding.
“The rainfall quantities we acquired have been record-setting, and never in a great way. All county assets are being utilized proper now, and we’re helping in all methods potential,” Cameron County Choose Eddie Treviño Jr., the county’s prime elected official, stated in a Fb put up.
Valley Worldwide Airport in Harlingen was closed on Friday and all flights have been canceled because of space flooding.”We’re working tirelessly to reopen and centered on making certain security,” airport officers stated in an announcement.
Greater than 3,400 in a number of counties in South Texas remained with out energy on Friday afternoon, in accordance with AEP Texas. A flood warning was nonetheless in impact for parts of South Texas, together with Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties, by early Friday afternoon, in accordance with the Nationwide Climate Service.
“There’s a break from the rain this morning, which can enable flood waters to progressively recede, however we’ll nonetheless have to keep watch over the event of remoted showers and thunderstorms as soon as once more this afternoon,” the Nationwide Climate Service stated on social media. “Any further rainfall might be fast to trigger flooding points given the heavy rainfall that has already fallen.”
One center faculty in Alamo was scheduled to stay open as a shelter for residents by Friday. One shelter had been opened in Weslaco and officers in Harlingen had opened the town’s conference middle as a shelter.
Greater than 20 South Texas faculty districts and faculty campuses canceled lessons on Friday because of the extreme climate and flooding.
Related Press author Juan Lozano in Houston contributed.
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This text initially appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/28/south-texas-march-storm-flood/.
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