Published: May 27,2015
On the west side of Houston, some areas received more than 4 inches of rain in a single hour Monday night, according to local storm reports. That created a scary scene across the city, where emergency crews worked all night to rescue flood-stranded drivers.
The event isn't over; more rain moved into the Houston area Wednesday morning, dumping several inches of rain on a region that can't hold any more water.
(MORE: When Will All This Rain End?)
South of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, the town of Midlothian was put on alert that a dam failure was imminent Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service reported. Crews worked quickly to relieve the dam of the high water that was threatening to cause a breach, and at this point, a complete break is no longer feared. No homes were expected to be affected, according to Fox4News.com.
"This is something they've been working on as a construction project for the past couple of weeks, but it gave way this morning," said Dave Malkoff, reporter for The Weather Channel, reporting live from the dam site Wednesday morning. "The water was coming off the top; it was a bad situation, but they actually got it under control."
At least 22 deaths have been reported from flooding (and one from a tornado) over the last 4 days, and nearly a dozen more residents are missing across Texas.
Texas
Rainfall rates as high as 1 to 3 inches per hour returned to the Houston area on Wednesday, elevating concerns that widespread flooding may come back to southeastern Texas yet again.Sixteen people have been found dead in Texas, with six of those deaths reported in the Houston area. Most of those victims have yet to be identified by authorities.
The extreme, persistent rainfall in Houston drew comparisons to tropical systems that swamped the region in the past.
(MORE: The 8 Craziest Photos We Saw From Houston's Flooding)
This photo by a #KPRC2 viewer has eerie similarities to Tropical Storm Allison http://bit.ly/1RiVMgJ #Houstonflood pic.twitter.com/jy2Q7jA17Q”
Two people remained unaccounted for in the Houston area on Wednesday.
Alligator found in parking garage following Houston flooding. (Rebecca Duensing )
Elsewhere in the Lone Star State, Damien Blade, 14, was confirmed dead in DeSoto after authorities found him in a storm drain Monday, the Dallas Morning News said. The teen went missing Sunday with two of his dogs. One of the two dogs was found dead near the boy's body.
(MORE: How This Flood Event Compares To Past Floods In Houston)
Floodwaters swept away 18-year-old Alyssa Ramirez in Devine as she drove back from prom celebrations Sunday night. Fox San Antonio reports that crews found her body and the vehicle Monday morning.
During a press conference Tuesday, Hays County officials confirmed that one person died in Caldwell County from flooding this weekend. At least 70 homes were destroyed by floodwaters and 1,400 were damaged. In Hays County alone, 10 people remain missing.
Gov. Greg Abbott declared emergency disasters for dozens of counties in Texas Monday morning following the widespread, damaging events of this weekend. Abbott says the damage caused by flash-flooding in Central Texas is "absolutely devastating." The governor flew over parts of the rain-swollen Blanco River on Monday.
Recovery teams are set to resume looking for the members of two families who authorities say are missing after a rain-swollen river in the small town of Wimberley, between Austin and San Antonio, carried their vacation home off its foundation, slamming it into a bridge downstream.
One of the missing, Michelle Caray Charba, was found dead on Wednesday, a family member confirmed to NBC News.
Authorities were helping residents to evacuate their homes Tuesday in Webberville, a city near Austin, after a creek broke its banks and flooded the area. Crews used boats and helicopters to rescue residents from their flooded homes. Authorities have not said how many people have been evacuated. No injuries have been reported.
In Corpus Christi, a church said five of its parishioners went missing when floodwaters from the Blanco River swept through their vacation home, according to the AP. The city also canceled its Memorial Day ceremony due to the catastrophic event.
At least 1,000 homes were evacuated in that area, according to NBC News.
In Wimberley, the Blanco River rose more than 33 feet in three hours, breaking an all-time record crest and ruining the river gauge. Hays County officials report swift water rescues in the area as the river swelled.
Oklahoma
Gov. Mary Fallin is expected to tour damaged areas Wednesday, her office said in a statement.Seven were confirmed dead from flooding over the last few days in Oklahoma, including a Claremore firefighter who died during a water rescue, and a 33-year-old woman who died in a storm-related traffic accident in Tulsa.
Several highways remained closed Wednesday night due to high water or damage from floods.
"Do NOT drive into high water, turn around if possible," the Oklahoma DOT reported. "Drivers are cautioned to heed warning signs and to not drive around barricades."
A 37-year-old man was killed in Sapulpa due to the severe weather, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. Another person was killed in Oklahoma on Saturday when a car hydroplaned in Tulsa, crashing into another car and killing a 33-year-old woman, the department told The Weather Channel.
On Monday, authorities found a 19-year-old dead in Pawnee and a 91-year-old man dead in Tulsa.
(MORE: May's Flooding And Rain Records)
A 34-year-old man died from flooding Friday.
In Blue, a woman died when a tornado destroyed her mobile home Monday, according to the Associated Press.
Claremore firefighter Jason Farley died in the process of rescuing residents caught in floodwaters, state emergency officials say.
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