Thursday, May 14, 2015

Flooding in the Southern Plains: Oklahoma Man Found Dead; Drivers Abandon Cars in Houston

Sean Breslin
Published: May 14, 2015
Days of heavy rainfall has become a life-threatening concern for several states in the Southern Plains, and the rains aren't letting up just yet.
"A weekend déjà vu is on the table for the southern Plains. Another powerful upper-level low-pressure system will pivot out of the Rockies, giving rise to more slow-moving thunderstorms from late Friday perhaps into early Monday," said weather.com meteorologist Jon Erdman.
(MORE: Severe Weather Outbreak Coming This Weekend?)
One person has been found dead in Oklahoma and another is missing in Texas after days of intense rainfall swamped the region. Much of this area has been parched for years due to an intense, long-term drought, but now, the rains are falling too fast for the dry ground to handle.
Here are the latest impacts from the states hit hardest by the flooding.

Arkansas

Last weekend's storms affected many Arkansas waterways, which led to flooding in some areas. High water levels were reported along the Arkansas River, forcing officials to close portions of the waterway to traffic, possibly through the Memorial Day holiday.
The Associated Press reports several locks and dams were closed along the Arkansas River, cutting off some stretches to barge traffic. The decision was made after the river flooded near Pine Bluff on Wednesday, and water levels also rose at Little Rock.
(MORE: This Could Become Very Dangerous During a Flood)
The rising river also flooded some parkland near the Clinton Presidential Center and Park, but no roads or private property were impacted, the report added.
Earlier in the week, a state of emergency was declared in Franklin County after flooding washed out some roadways, according to KATV.com. Several water rescues were also performed in the area, the report added.

Oklahoma

Two days after 60-year-old Dennis Donaho was reported missing in floodwaters, authorities recovered his body in Spiro, the AP reported. Donaho was driving a tractor when it stalled in the flooding, and when he tried to swim to safety, he was carried away by the current, Lt. John Vincent told the AP.
His body was recovered Wednesday morning, KFOR.com said.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol also rescued two kids who were carried away while swimming on a piece of Styrofoam in Coon Creek, the AP also said. They were rescued when a trooper commandeered a boat, and neither was injured.
Near Bowlegs, the National Guard was activated to assist in the rescue of more than 100 cattle that got stranded as floodwaters rose, News9.com reported.

Texas

Several residents of the Kingwood Community in Houston, Texas, have been forced to move their vehicles and other belongings due to the rising San Jacinto River, Click2Houston.com said. Homes were surrounded by water, and a 40-foot tree was downed on a home.
Crews continue to search for a man who was reportedly swept away by floodwaters in the Clear Lake area, Click2Houston reported. Authorities tell ABC13.com Nurul Alam Chowdhury's car got stuck in a ditch, and he was carried away by the rushing water after multiple rescue attempts failed early Wednesday morning.
A car that's believed to be Chowdhury's was pulled from the water Thursday morning, but there's still no sign of the missing man, Click2Houston.com also reported.
Cars were swamped in the Houston area Wednesday morning as floodwaters rose on roadways, forcing dozens of drivers to abandon vehicles in the middle of the street.
Especially hard-hit was the town of Webster and surrounding areas, where persistent rainfall led to water-covered roadways and soggy low-lying homes, according to KHOU.com. Webster is located some 25 miles southeast of downtown Houston.
An apartment complex on Farm to Market road 528 sustained damage to its first-floor suites after heavy flooding inundated the area, KHOU said. Floodwaters also encroached on driveways and garages of some Angleton homes.
Late Wednesday morning, a portion of Interstate 45 was closed near Hobby Airport due to road flooding, according to a National Weather Service storm report.
(MORE: Flash Flooding Expected To Continue in the Plains)


Jenelle Shriner @JenelleKPRC
Unbelievable images coming out of the Clear Lake area this morning. @KPRCRachel @KPRCBritta
Johnny Kelly @stormchaser4850
Developing: Many vehicles submerged in waters on Gulf Freeway near Houston http://bit.ly/1Fk098T 

A water rescue was performed Tuesday morning near downtown Houston when several commuters were trapped under a bridge and water began to rise quickly, ABC13.com reported.
Flooding was also reported in the Corpus Christi area, where sewage from a wastewater line overflowed into a river. According to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, some 198,000 gallons of wastewater spilled into La Volla Creek and will need to be tested to determine how much the waterway was polluted.
In response to the sewage spill, the city issued a press release asking residents to "avoid swimming or fishing in the areas where warning signs are posted" as "discharge of untreated sewage to La Volla Creek may adversely affect the quality of the surface waters."
Multiple funnel clouds were also reported Tuesday along the Gulf Coast, according to a separate ABC13.com report, but no damage was reported.
MORE: Severe Weather in the Plains

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