Major or moderate flooding has taken place across a number of rivers and lakes in Texas, with a particular focus on the region to the northeast of Houston, according to a map published by state government agencies. Large swaths of eastern Texas were hit with torrential downpours over the weekend, which caused the death of a five-year-old boy, who was swept from a car in Johnson County, near Fort Worth. The situation has raised significant concerns about safety and preparedness in the region as the state deals with the aftermath of extreme weather conditions.
Over the past week, Texas has been struck by a wave of extreme weather, with the Trinity River in Harris County bursting its banks on April 30. Just two days later, a tornado wreaked havoc, destroying several properties and vehicles in Hawley. According to the TexasFlood.org map, produced in collaboration with the Texas General Land Office, Texas Division of Emergency Management, and Texas Water Development Board, six major floods have occurred in bodies of water northeast of Houston. The affected areas include the West Fork of the San Jacinto River near Humble, the San Jacinto River near Sheldon, the Trinity River near Goodrich, Liberty and Moss Bluff, and the Neches River at Saltwater Barrier.
Less intense, moderate flood alerts continue to be in effect over a much wider area, reaching as far north as the Sabine River near Gladewater. Minor floods have also been recorded across eastern Texas, as noted by TexasFlood.org. Unfortunately, hopes of rapid relief are fading, with forecasts indicating that flooding may persist through Friday for many areas, even though water levels are expected to drop by the end of the week. The Associated Press has reported numerous high-water rescues that took place over the weekend, including several from the roofs of flooded buildings, with some roads remaining waterlogged or blocked by debris.
The five-year-old boy tragically died after being swept away from the vehicle he was riding in near Lillian, south of Fort Worth, according to a Facebook post from Johnson County emergency management director Jamie Moore. The child and two adults were in a vehicle that became stuck in swift-moving water and were swept away while attempting to reach dry land. Both adults were rescued alive at 5 a.m. on Sunday and transported to the hospital, but tragically, the child was found dead in the flood waters about two hours later.
The Flood Control District of Harris County, which includes Houston, released a detailed map showing the amount of rainfall in inches in and around the county over the 24 hours leading up to 9:01 a.m. CT on Sunday. This map revealed that rainfall levels varied significantly, from 0.00 inches in the northern areas to a high of 2.08 inches towards the center of the county.
Over the past week, the area around Lake Livingston, northeast of Houston, received an astonishing amount of rainfall, with reports indicating up to 23 inches. The National Weather Service (NWS) Houston office mentioned that a "drying trend" is expected between Monday and Friday, along with rising temperatures; however, a slight drop in temperatures is anticipated Thursday night. On May 3, about 700 houses were evacuated in Polk County, near Houston, due to the flooding, as reported by ABC News. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo informed reporters that the East Fork of the San Jacinto River has risen to 75 feet above sea level, significantly exceeding the usual range of 45 to 50 feet and nearing the record of 81 feet set during Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
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