Heavy rain caused flooding in the Houston area Thursday, with officials telling some residents along a river to leave and telling others they might be stranded.
“This is a life-threatening situation,” said the county’s top elected official, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.
Of particular concern is an area along the San Jacinto River, which is expected to continue rising as more rain falls and officials release additional water from an already full reservoir. Officials have ordered people in an area along the river in northern Harris County, where Houston is located, to evacuate.
“We want you out of this area,” Hidalgo said at a news conference Thursday afternoon. She did not say exactly how many people had to evacuate.
Officials asked residents further south along the river to leave or prepare for being stranded for two to three days by rising waters, Harris said.
Hidalgo said the San Jacinto River is normally 45-50 feet (13.72-15.24 meters) above sea level, but is expected to reach 78 feet (23.77 meters).
The province opened three shelters for displaced people, and a fourth is planned.
In Montgomery County, just north of Harris County, officials issued a voluntary evacuation order and said roads were closed due to flooding along the river.
The area received about 5 to 8 inches of rain in 24 hours, with some spots receiving as much as 10 to 12 inches, said National Weather Service meteorologist Hayley Adams. More rain was expected through Friday morning.
The storm has toppled trees and stranded vehicles. It prompted the San Jacinto River Authority to close Lake Conroe and increase water discharge from the dam that created the reservoir.
Nine people were rescued from rising waters, the Houston mayor’s office said. No injuries or deaths have been reported.
Dawn O’Leary, a resident of Cleveland, about 45 miles (72.42 kilometers) northeast of Houston, was caught off guard by the rising waters. “I tried to get to work,” she said, but the roads were so bad she couldn’t get there.
Emergency management officials said the area could see flooding similar to that caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Imelda, which dumped more than 40 inches (102 centimeters) in some locations in 2019.